Essay on Lies and Self-realization in A Dolls House

Lies and Self-realization in A Dolls House In Ibsens play, A Dolls House, the characters willingly exist in a situation of untruth or inadequate truth that conceals conflict. Noras independent nature is in contradiction to the tyrannical authority of Torvald. This conflict is concealed by the way they both hide their true selves from society, each other, and ultimately themselves. Just like Nora and Torvald, every character in this play is trapped in a situation of untruth. A Dolls House, can be misinterpreted as simply an attack on the religious values of Ibsens society. While this is certainly an important aspect of the play, it is not, however, Ibsens main point. A Dolls House established a method Ibsen†¦show more content†¦This longing is undoubtedly symbolic of her desire to be out of the control of Torvald and society. Despite her desire for freedom, Nora has, until the close of the story, accepted the comfort and ease, as well as the restrictions, of Torvalds home instead of facing the rigors that accompany independence. Ibsen wanted the reader to grasp one thing in the first act: Nora was willing to exchange her freedom for the easy life of the doll house. Ibsen shows that it takes a dramatic event to cause a person to reevaluate to what extent he can sacrifice his true human nature. For Nora, this event comes in the form of her realization that Torvald values his own social status above love (Brunsdale). It is important to understand Nora does not leave Torvald because of the condescending attitude he has towards her. That was, in her eyes, a small price to pay for the comfort and stability of his home. In Bernard Shaws essay on A Dolls House, he expresses that the climax of the play occurs when the womans eyes are opened; and instantly her dolls dress is thrown off and her husband is left staring at her( Shaw). To the reader it is clear that Helmer is brought to his senses when his household begins to fall apart (Shaw). It is important that Shaws grammar is not overlooked. The statements the womans eyes are opened... and Helmer is brought... both indicate that the subject of the statement is not responsible for theShow MoreRela tedHenrik Ibsen s A Doll s House Essay1408 Words   |  6 PagesHenrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House is a play that makes tremendous contributions to the rise of international women’s liberation movements. Much significance of the play can be found in the characterization of its female protagonist Nora. In many aspects, Nora has become an iconic character, serving as a source of inspiration to various social and cultural movements. This essay aims to trace the development of Nora’s behavior from a â€Å"female doll† to a â€Å"woman rebel† by focusing on Ibsen’s use of linguisticRead MorePrice of Freedom in Ibsens A Dolls House Essay1240 Words   |  5 PagesFreedom in A Dolls House   Ã‚   Freedom is something that people in all times, places, and experiences have sought after, often against great odds and at a great personal cost. But, in the struggle for freedom, every person gains a sense of true self, if they believe that the freedom which they are fighting for is just. In almost all plays, every character has something threatened which is important to them and which they consider worth fighting for. In Henrik Ibsens play A Doll House, everyRead MoreEssay on Theme of Self-discovery in The Awakening and A Dolls House1121 Words   |  5 PagesThe Theme of Self-discovery in The Awakening and A Doll House      Ã‚  Ã‚   In Chopins The Awakening and Ibsens A Doll House, the main characters each experience an awakening. Although they lead different lives, Nora Helmer and Edna Pontelliers respective awakenings are caused by similar factors. From the beginning, neither character fits the standard stereotype of women in the society in which they lived. Another factor that influences Nora and Ednas awakenings is their marital relationship. NeitherRead More A Comparison of Individual Responsibility in Oedipus Rex and A Dolls House4312 Words   |  18 PagesIndividual Responsibility in Oedipus Rex and A Dolls House    In Sophocles Oedipus Rex and Ibsens A Dolls House, the main characters - Nora and Oedipus, are both constructed to illustrate flaws in society.   Oedipus psychological evolution sees him begin as an all-powerful, righteous king, who seemingly through no fault of his own murders his father and marries his mother.   His evolution ends with his self-blinding, an action which Sophocles uses to establish the true freedom of the individualRead MoreAgency Of Punishment And Hedda Gabler1914 Words   |  8 Pagesaristocratic woman from prosperous 19th century Norway, asserts her freedom from societal oppression by killing herself. Considering the socio-economic and cultural differences of these female characters, how could their ends be so similar? In this essay, we’ll discuss why these late 19th century, early 20th century authors chose to make suicide, or the desire for death (or other drastic behavior), agency for their female characters in these two texts. We’ll do this by analyzing the feminist themes

The Counter Revolution of 1848 - 4798 Words

COUNTER REVOLUTION OF 1848 A blend of political and social philosophy, monetary crises, and romanticism joint to build disorder in each country in Europe excluding Great Britain, which have originated the internal reforms, and Russia, which was mostly halt by its individual gargantuanism. It was in various respects a hyped edition of the 1960s in the United States, when idealists took it to the streets. The effect was a sequence of revolutions for national independence, liberal-democratic constitutions, and social reform (Bidelux Jefferies 1998). These will be the well-known revolutions of 1848, one of the supplementary important proceedings in contemporary European history. The Irish potato scarcity has an effect on the mainland. Meager crop caused food cost to skyrocket and also caused extensive joblessness in urban. Aggression broke out in Poland in an exertion of revolution which was rapidly place downward. Naples, Italy and Austria also saw armed revolution. Even sedate Switzerland saw a civil battle among radicals and conservatives. FRANCE King Louis Philippe had raised the throne among pledge of improvement and tactics to institute a bourgeoisie monarchy. On the other hand, he didnt do well on his pledge. His government was subjugated by disgrace that only the affluent people can be able to vote for deputies to the Assembly, several of whom were government bureaucrats (Sperber 2005). Legislation for public development was virtually missing, and theShow MoreRelated The Revolutions of 1848 Essay1382 Words   |  6 PagesThe Revolutions of 1848 The Revolutions of 1848 have been described as the â€Å"greatest revolution of the century†1. From its mild beginnings in Palermo, Sicily in January 1848, it did not take long to spread across the rest of Europe (Britain and Russia were the only countries not to experience such revolutions). â€Å"In 1848 more states on the European continent were overcome by revolution than ever before and ever since†2. The Revolutions became more radical but after June 1848 these revolutionaryRead MoreTo What Extent Did the Revolutions of 1848-9 Fail in Italy Due to Poor Leadership?1071 Words   |  5 Pagesfailures of 1848-9 could be blamed on the poor leadership of Individuals such as Charles Albert and Mazzini. However there are other contributing factors that should be taken into account. Although Charles Albert seems to be successful in uniting the states of Italy to strengthen his campaign, for example, by joining Lombardy and Venetia with Piedmont and merging their armies into one in 1848, and aiding the rebels in Lombardy, his poor leadership effected the outcome of the 1848-9 Revolutions. AlbertRead MoreAdvantages And Disadvantages Of The French Revolution880 Words   |  4 Pagesat a disadvantage. The revolution started in urban areas so citizens living in rural areas were unaware about the reasons for revolting. Common people had traditional views and customs so they were indifferent about a revolution. The revolution failed to recognize their goals, lacked support, weak military, and division between social classes. In the Class Struggles in France, by Karl Marx, in his own words, explains his reasonings as to why the French Revolution of 1848 failed. Marx focuses onRead MoreEssay on Nationalism and Liberalism 1368 Words   |  6 PagesOften called â€Å"the People’s Spring†, the Revolutions of 1848 marked a time of political and social turmoil widespread across the European continent. It is during this time we see monarchies overthrown, the formation of new countries, and â€Å"radical ideologies† such as Nationalism, and Liberalism become the beliefs of the middle-class. The populations of European countries were growing at a rate never seen before. The masses started becoming agitated with the current monarchial system of governmentRead MoreThe Eighteenth Brumaire Of Louis Bonaparte Essay1539 Words   |  7 PagesThe Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte was written by Karl Marx a few months after the December 1851 coup d’etat of Louis Bonaparte in France. I n this short text, Marx further examined the revolution of 1848 and the series of political reversals which eventually led to the coup. Marx views the coup as a consequence of sharp intensifications of class antagonisms in modern bourgeois society, which is the central idea of the theory of revolutionary change presented in the Communist Manifesto. ThereforeRead MoreEssay A Comparison of Capitalism and Marxism637 Words   |  3 Pagesideas of Gregor Hagel. Karl Marx was a German professor and theoretician, he published 2 famous works The Communist Manifesto (1848) and Das Kapital (1866). Before he could finish Das Kapital he died, Friedrich Engels finished the book. Frederik Angles was a collaborator of Marx’s and co-author of the book. Marx saw the exploitation of the common worker and predicted a revolution that would see the rise of the proletariat against the capitalistic suppressors. Proletariat is a term used by Marx to describeRead MoreEssay on Napoleon: A Leader Or Dictator.614 Words   |  3 Pagessubmitted to Plebiscite a new constitution, ending the consulate and establishing the First French Empire. Also showing Democratic Political advancement, Napoleon signed The Concordat of 1801 with the Catholic Church. He thus disarmed the threat of counter revolution among the catholic peasants. Catholicism became the quot;preferredquot; religion of France, but most importantly, Napoleon did tolerate other religions. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Next, Napoleon helped show the Age of Napoleon as democraticRead MoreIs The Revolution Inevitable? Essay2593 Words   |  11 PagesIs The Revolution Inevitable? Philosophers have interpreted the world in various ways, the point, however, is to change it. - Marx (1888, para. 11) Marx’s proposition about the role of philosophers in ‘changing the world’ is one of his most oft quoted lines yet it was written early in his personal intellectual and philosophical development. It is the 11th note in his Thesis on Feuerbach (1888) and seemingly expresses Marx at his most revolutionary if by ‘revolutionary’ we mean allotting a degreeRead More Karl Marx Essay1742 Words   |  7 Pagesabout law is mainly expressed in his publication he published alongside his friend Freidrich Engels called The Communist Manifesto (1848). In that publication he says that the traditions of the government as nothing but bourgeois influences (Augusto Zimmerman, 2006). Marx was not opposed to violence to achieve this new society. In an article published in 1848, Marx outlines how he thinks class could be eradicated. There is only one way in which the murderous death agonies of the oldRead MoreSartre s Relationship Between Existentialism And Marxism784 Words   |  4 Pagesreality of these Marxists and this has been the downfall of Marxism. He highlights the case of the Hungarian revolt where the Soviet leaders condemned the revolution because they deemed it counter-revolutionary; a conclusion that wouldn’t have been made if they had truly applied the principles of Marxism. He compares it to the Revolutions of 1848 in which Marx investigated the concrete truths of the realities and not settling for preconceived truths. Sartre desires that contemporary Marxists not only

Contract Law Text - Cases - and Materials System

Question: Discuss about the Contract Law for Text, Cases, and Materials System. Answer: Introduction: From the given scenario, it has been cleared that Rajeev has breached the contract with Paul as he has signed the registration papers of the car but due to some circumstances not able to conclude the purchase of the car. According to the Australian corporation act, 2001, the case comes under the anticipatory contractual breach. The Anticipatory contractual breach is occurs when promisor is completely disagrees or refuses to perform his obligations within the due date as promised by him (Corones, 2014). It is actually a declaration made by the other party to show his intentions of not performing his obligations according to the contract formed with the main party. This actually represents contracts destruction at the premature stage that is contracts repudiation before the performances due date. From the above statements, it is cleared that Paul has two options to perform against Rajeev under the Australian corporation act, 2001. First, Paul can treat the entire conduct under the concept of discharged and accordingly can take immediate actions to ask for compensatory damages from Rajeev. Second, Paul can treat the entire contract under operative and accordingly can wait for response from Rajeev to perform his obligations to purchase his car. Paul can demand his compensation charges according to essence time under the termination of the contract according to Australian corporation act, 2001 (Latimer, 2016). According to the concept of essence time, contracts performance needs to be performed in due time or within the implied terms and if not performed in that due date, then the main party has the legal right to terminate the contract without considering the opposite partys perceptions. This also shows that if the opposite party is not able to perform their obligations in the specified time, then the main party has legal right to act according to the Australian corporation act, 2001. The case between Foran and Wight in 1989 under section HCA 51 also resembles the same case as given in the above scenario. The following scenario can also be explained with the help of Frustrated Contracts act in 1978 by NSW government. According to this if promisor after signing certain documents and after some time not shows any intentions to perform the contract can be sued according to the Frustrated Contracts act in 1978 which makes Paul liable to claim compensatory charges from Rajeev under the section 7(2) of frustrated contracts act (Bently and Sherman, 2014). The contract may also be terminated according to lapsed time as Rajeev has not showed his intention to purchase Pauls car after passage of time. Paul can ask for nominal charges from Rajeev due to breach of contract. According to this concept of nominal charges, plaintiff (Paul) is liable to demand charges from defendant (Rajeev). These actually are the damages which are used to prove the fact that defendant has breached the contract but due to that breached contract, plaintiff has not suffered any losses (Corones, 2014). This also shows that there was no fault of Paul in the entire scenario. The case occurs between Charter and Sullivan in 1957 is representing the same concept which is given in the case problem. From the given scenario, it has been cleared that the above case basically belongs where Bhanu can resolve the matter with Rajeev under the remedy of rescission. As Rajeev had taken the equity in terms of paintings under the lease, he is the responsible person to pay the damages in case any damages or accidents may be happened with the paintings what he has leased from Bhanu. According to Australian corporation act, 2001, rescission comes under the remedied of common Australian laws (McKendrick, 2014). This basically means to self help the innocent party who has suffered the losses. According to these remedy, the innocent party can opt to terminate the agreement with the defaulter party. This mainly belongs to equity remedy where court order is required which is basically discretionary in nature that allows injured party for restoration or aside of the main contract into its pre contractual position. Under the 2nd schedule of competition and consumer act in 2010, the rescission remedies are available on breaching the guarantee on major basis or failure to comply comes under non-major basis. According to consumer law of Australia, the main party can reject to accept the goods in writing by the notice under the guarantee breached by the accused party. As from the case, it is evident that the paintings will never be again repaired, and then the case comes under major basis for breaching the guarantee (Gibson, 2012). Further, Bhanu can give some time to Rajeev for repairing the damaged paintings or can ask for the damages under the remedies. But if Rajeev fails to repair or give reasonable costs on the damages then under section 259(2) b of competition and consumer act in 2010, Bhanu can demand for the damages or ultimately can terminate the contract with Rajeev. Under section 260 of competition and consumer act in 2010, the above case comes under major failure as well as the guarantee breached by Rajeev cannot also be remedied (McKendrick, 2014). According to this Bhanu can notifies to Rajeev that he is rejecting the paintings or can recover the required compensation if any reduction in value of paintings occurs on paying or payable prices for the paintings. Further, Bhanu can also take legal action against Rajeev so that can recover his damages as occurs due to damage of paintings suffered because at the same time, Rajeev failed to comply the guarantee as he assured on protecting the value of paintings. The cases between Alati and Kruger in 1995, Vadasz and Pioneer concrete in 1995 and Phillips and Brooks are also comes under the same scenario as discussed with the case given in the problem (Poole, 2016). In all the cases, the accused party was given order to pay the remedies on the damages or losses happened to the innocent party. Bhanu will not be able to demand for remedies under rescission if contracts cannot be stored to its original position. Bhanu if continues to do transactions with Rajeev or if conducts becomes unconscionable in that cases, Bhanu cannot resolve the issue under the remedy of rescission. From the given scenario, it has been cleared that Shane has breached the contract with Paul as he has signed the contracts to pay the required amount for house within six months to Rajeev. But due to some conditions, Shane will not be able to continue with the contract. But according to the Australian corporation act, 2001, the above case comes under the anticipatory contractual breach (Virgo, 2015). According to law, Bhanu can enforce appropriate remedies for the loss or can also ignore the contractual breach and can take actions against the performance of Rajeev. The case between Foran and Wight in 1989 comes under the same scenario as discussed in the problem. Under the anticipatory contractual breach, Bhanu has the right to continue with the contract or can also terminate the contract with Shane. The damages or injunction will only be appropriate if Bhanu will decide to terminate the contract with Shane. As from the given scenario, it is cleared that Shane is the person responsible for breaching the contract and according to Australian corporation act, 2001, Bhanu can ask for the damages instead of injunction for suing of breaching the contract (Pentony et al, 2013). The damages can be on the basis of conditions breaching or warranty breaching. Under the section 243 of Australian corporation act, 2001, Bhanu can ask for damages from Shane. Damages will be more preferable in the following scenario as this enables the plaintiff to get monetary compensation or charges from the accused party for breaching the contract. The main purpose of this remedy is not to punish the accused party but to put the innocent party in such position that would make them in the financial position if the original contract will be appropriately performed (Gullifer and Payne, 2015). The case between Alexander and Credit Corporation of Cambridge in 1987 indicates the same scenario where accused was sued to pay the damages to the innocent part for breaching the contract before the completion of the original contract. Injunction is type of equitable remedy which is not the appropriate remedy for the following scenario. This is mainly order from the courts which is discretionary in nature. This is not applicable in the case if damages are more significant for the case. This remedy may be prohibitive in nature as prevents contractual breach (Andrews, 2015). This also makes the contract as mandatory which requires some obligations needs to be performed by the accused party during the contracts. The case between Lumley and Wagner in 1852 describes the same scenario where damages are more appropriate as compared to the injunctions on breaching the contracts. From the given scenario, it is evident that restitution is not the appropriate remedy for contractual breach in the following case. As there was a written contract between Rajeev and Shane which indicates that principles of remedy that is restitution is not applicable in the present case. The principle of this just includes preventing unjust enrichment in the present case. This remedy is not based on the implied promises as well as the type of quasi contracts (Moens and Trone, 2010). As from the Australian corporation act, 2001, it is evident that when the two parties are in the contracts then any remedies on breaching the contract will be entirely based on the claim for the compensation and damages. However, when parties have no legal rights for recovering their money or obtaining some compensation in terms of non monetary benefits when are in some contracts, then the remedy like restitution will be more significant and vital to use to give more effectiveness to such cases. The case between Pavey and Matthews with Paul in 1987 interprets the same thing that if the parties are in some sort of contract then they can ask for remedy in form of compensation or damages for breaching the contracts (Pentony et al, 2013). However, if the parties are not in any kind of contract or legal obligations, then they can use restitutions principles to get some benefits for breaching the contacts from the accused parties. References: Andrews, N. (2015) Contract law.UK: Cambridge University Press. Bently, L. and Sherman, B. (2014) Intellectual property law. USA: Oxford University Press. Corones, S. (2014) Competition law in Australia. Australia: Thomson Reuters Limited. Gibson, A. (2012) Australian Commercial Law. Australia: Pearson. Gullifer, L. and Payne, J. (2015) Corporate finance law: principles and policy. UK: Bloomsbury Publishing. Latimer, P. (2016) Australian Business Law. Australia: Oxford University Press. McKendrick, E. (2014) Contract law: text, cases, and materials. UK: Oxford University Press. Moens, G. and Trone, J. (2010) Commercial law of the European Union (Vol. 4).UK: Springer Science Business Media. Pentony, B., Graw, S., Parker, D. and Whitford, K. (2013) Understanding Business law. Australia: LexisNexis Butterworths. Poole, J. (2016) Textbook on contract law.UK: Oxford University Press. Virgo, G. (2015) Principles of the Law of Restitution.USA: Oxford University Press.

Tobacco Stuff Essay Example For Students

Tobacco Stuff Essay The Tobacco Issue: Where the Responsibility Lies Political-Legal Issues: The legal and political issues surrounding the tobacco industry include whether or not tobacco companies should be held liable for tobacco-related deaths of smokers and those related to second-hand smoke, as well as whether or not elected officials should be accepting money from the tobacco industry in order to win elections. When deciding where the responsibility lies in the case of tobacco, the facts can be turned to favor either side on the issue. However, the tobacco industry has followed the governments guidelines, since guidelines have been established, while the government seems to want to place blame for peoples habits on the manufacturers of products that people choose to use. Tobacco Litigation: The first issue to examine is the issue surrounding the use of the judicial system in finding responsibility for the epidemic surrounding the tobacco industry. The tobacco industry is the defendant in the majority of cases brought before the judiciary and, historically, the We will write a custom essay on Tobacco Stuff specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now majority of the cases have been decided in favor of the industry. In a landmark case in 1988, the tobacco industry won a huge victory against Rose Cipollone. Ms. Cipollone died a horribly painful death from cancer. The defendant in the case was Philip Morris. Philip Morris council argued that it was the womans choice to smoke. This woman had even testified that she had gone to church every Sunday to pray that she would not get lung cancer. She knew the risks involved with smoking and chose to continue smoking. Philip Morris won the case. (Byrne, 189-190). For years the tobacco industry won case after case involving cancer victims that had smoked. Even today, much of the litigation by smokers has been decided in favor of the industry. In July of 1999 the Louisiana District Court, 19th District decided the case of Robert Gilboy et al. V. The American Tobacco Co. , et al. in favor of the defense. The jury was not convinced that 45 years of smoking had caused Mr. Gilboys lung cancer. In the case of the Estate of Burl Butler, et al. V. Philip Morris, Inc. , et al. , the Jones County, Mississippi Circuit Court, 2nd District jury found the tobacco industry defendants not liable for the alleged second-hand smoke related wrongful death of Mr. Butler. This case was decided in June of 1999. An important win for the defense was gained in Kansas City, Missouri in May of 1999. The case of Michelle Steele et al. V. Brown and Williamson Corp. was decided in U. S. District Court in Kansas City. The trial was the result of a wrongful death suit brought by the children of Charles Steele. The children were suing the tobacco company for their fathers death by lung cancer at age 56. Mr. Steele had smoked cigarettes for years. The outcome in this trial is not as important as the comments made by the jury foreman in the case. Mr. White, the jury foreman, was quoted as saying that Mr. Steele knew what he was doing. He knew that cigarettes were bad for him, but that they gave him pleasure. He decided that the pleasure outweighed the dangers. (Trials, 1-3). While there have been some significant victories for the defense, there have been several recent verdicts from the judicial system in favor of the plaintiffs. The tobacco industry has already paid out billions of dollars in settlements over the past several years. In an April 1999 case, Charles Connor V. Lorillard et al. a six-person jury found in favor of the plaintiff for liability in the death of a former Kent smoker. The jury awarded $2 million in punitive damages and $225,000 in compensatory damages to Mr. Connor. The case was decided in a Baltimore, Maryland City Circuit Court. In March of 1999, Philip Morris suffered a loss in the case of Joann Williams-Branch v. Philip Morris, Inc. A Portland, Oregon jury ruled that the company was liable for the death of Jesse Williams and awarded $81 million to the plaintiff. This was not the first loss for Philip Morris. In an earlier case, decided on February 9, 1999 by the Superior Court of California, San Francisco, Henley v. Philip Morris, Inc. , et al. , the jury awarded $50 million in punitive and $1. 5 million in compensatory damages to a smoker with lung cancer. The suit was brought on behalf of an older woman that was dying of lung cancer. She had smoked Marlboro brand cigarettes for most of her life. The jury found Philip Morris liable for product defect, failure to warn, negligence, fraud, false promise, express warranty, and conspiracy. The trial judge reduced the punitive damages to $25 million, but the total award was still $26. million for a person making a conscious decision to smoke cigarettes despite warnings that they are bad for a persons health. (Trials, 1-6). The U. S. Government Legislative Branch: While the main issue before the judicial system is liability, the legislative branch of the U. S. government has also been heavily involved in the tobacco issue throughout history. This brings the issue of regulations to the forefront in this matter. Since the first major restrictions, the 1965 Labeling Act requiring warning labels on all cigarette packages, there has been a steady stream of legislation concerning the tobacco industry. In 1990, a federal law went into effect to permanently ban smoking on all flights within the continental U. S. , as well as flights between the continental U. S. and Puerto Rico or the U. S. Virgin Islands. This law covered flights of less than six hours that originated or terminated in Alaska or Hawaii, in addition to the flights within the continental U. S. In 1992, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) approved a resolution to urge restriction of smoking on all international flights. This led to the implementation of a complete smoking ban on any and all flights by July 1, 1996. (Involuntary Smoking, 1-2). The following list, taken from the American Cancer Institute, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Multistate Master Settlement Agreement of November, 1998, is just a smattering of the extensive legislation that has involved the tobacco industry over the years. This list is not all-inclusive and does not begin to tell the story of government interdiction into private industry: There are 46 states, including the District of Columbia, that restrict smoking in public places, the most extensive of the clean indoor air laws to include restaurants and private workplaces (20 states). Forty-one states have laws that restrict smoking in state government worksites. All 50 states restrict the sale of tobacco products to minors. Twenty-three of the states may suspend or revoke a retail tobacco product license for violation of youth access laws. Twenty-two states restrict the distribution of free samples of tobacco products. Twenty-four states restrict the sale of tobacco products in vending machines. Forty-six states require licensing of anyone selling tobacco products. The multi-state Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) of 1999 requires the discontinuation of certain types of outdoor advertising, most notably billboards. The MSA also prohibits the use of cartoons by participating manufacturers in advertising, promotion, packaging, or labeling of any tobacco products. All 50 states have an excise tax on cigarettes. Forty-two of these also have excise taxes on smokeless tobacco products. Thirty states have preemption provisions in their tobacco control laws, which means that localities cannot implement any more restrictive laws than the state has mandated. The above listing only touches the surface of tobacco legislation. The laws have become very restrictive of the tobacco industry. However, it was not always this way. In 1933, the legislature actually passed laws that protected the industry. The Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1933 allowed the legislature to implement marketing quotas and price supports for tobacco farmers. These quotas and price supports effectively raised the farm-level price of tobacco. This led to slightly increased prices for tobacco products to consumers, which served to lower the consumption of tobacco products. It also allowed U. S. tobacco manufacturers to remain competitive in the world market for tobacco. Under the tobacco program, marketing quotas were set each year and were very successful in yielding higher prices for U. S. tobacco on both the U. S. and world markets. (Snell, 1). The current legislative situation has changed dramatically from this law. There are currently over 50 bills pending in the House of Representatives and the Senate concerning tobacco in some way, the vast majority of which are for further restrictions being placed on the tobacco industry. This tremendous activity helps to explain why the executive branch of the U. S. government has also thrown its considerable resources against the tobacco industry by filing suit in the federal courts against the industry giants. The U. S. Government The Federal Suit: The U. S. government, through the Department of Justice, filed a civil lawsuit against the major tobacco manufacturers for recovery of healthcare costs associated with the use of tobacco products. The government is attempting to recover billions of dollars the federal government spends yearly on smoking-related healthcare costs. The government alleges that the cigarette companies have conspired since the 1950s to defraud and mislead the public and to conceal information about the effects of smoking. The governments suit relies on three federal statutes, including the Medical Care Recovery Act, the Medicare Secondary Payer Act, and the civil provisions of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) statute. The government alleges that the RICO statutes apply to the cigarette companies because they have been defrauding the public by releasing misleading research, falsifying documents, and failing to warn consumers of research the companies conducted that confirmed that cigarettes were hazardous to health. The federal governments suit is similar to the ones filed by the states, which resulted in more than $200 billion in a settlement paid to the states, but focuses on the costs incurred through the Medicare program, which is solely funded by the federal government. The government allegedly spends over $20 billion per year to treat smoking-related diseases. (DOJ, 1-3). The governments lawsuit alleges a substantial cost to American taxpayers for the care of millions of Americans who smoked and incurred alleged smoke-related illnesses. The cost to the taxpayer is the central issue in the case. The cost the government reports is not the true cost when scrutinized in its entirety. Cigarette smoking actually results in a net gain for the government. The government spends more money treating nonsmokers, since they live much longer than smokers do. Also, since the government profits from excessive tax revenues received from smokers and tobacco companies, the government has greatly benefited from the tobacco industry. (Barr, 6). To put the issue into perspective, figures are available for just three counties in northeastern North Carolina that show just a small amount of the exorbitant revenues the government collects from the tobacco industry. These three counties are not even located within the heart of tobacco country. However, they generate over $287. 4 million in excise and sales taxes for the state and federal government each year. Each acre of tobacco results in $21,616 in federal excise taxes per year. (Coltrain, 1). These figures do not include the subsequent sales tax levied on the purchase of a pack of cigarettes, effectively taxing the tax on a product. The governments claim that smoking costs taxpayers money is unfounded. The government is making a net profit each year from the tobacco industry. The governments case is also hindered by the 1947 ruling by the U. S. Supreme Court that the federal government cannot recover medical damages from private companies without statutory authorization from Congress. The governments suit is simply an act of extortion, hoping the cigarette companies will settle the case out of court as they did with the states cases earlier. When the tobacco industry settled the cases with the states, despite a string of victories in the courts, the precedent was set that the industry would rather settle than fight. The government has targeted this industry in the hopes that the industry will again cave in from the outside pressure of public opinion. (Barr, 7). This leads to the question of, why stop with the tobacco industry? The government could easily target other sectors of private industry. The alcohol industry is a prime target. There are over 105,000 deaths in the U. S. from alcohol-related causes. This is only 260,000 less than tobacco-related deaths per year. Columbia, 1). The cost to society is estimated at around $50 billion per year. In spite of the statistics revealed concerning alcohol-related death, drinking and driving remains commonplace in the U. S. There has been inadequate attention given to the problem, since law enforcement and the judicial system have been completely ineffective in deterring drunken driving incidents. Despite these facts, the alcohol industry has increased its marketing spending in order to increase the consumption of alcohol. Most of this advertising has been focused on the young male (the same allegation levied against the cigarette industry. Lucas, 1). These facts mirror the allegations the government has made against the tobacco industry. The major difference between the two industries is the fact that youth smoking is not illegal, but drinking underage is illegal in all states. The government is blaming the tobacco industry for youth smoking, yet a child can smoke a cigarette right in front of a policeman without fear of punishment. The only practice made illegal by the government is the sale of tobacco to minors. The sale of liquor to minors is also illegal, but the consumption of alcohol by a minor i s also illegal. Kids cannot drink liquor in front of a policeman without fear. The amount of money spent, annually, on alcohol related illnesses is not known, but it has to be substantial. Even so, the government has not tightened restrictions on the alcohol industry nor has it filed suit to recover any of these costs. The case is misleading. The government is suing the tobacco industry for the misuse of a lawfully manufactured product that is not defective in any way. The government alleges the industry misled the public and withheld information that would be detrimental to the sale of its product. However, the government is setting a very dangerous precedent with this case. The government is to encourage free enterprise and also set forth the ideals of freedom and self-responsibility. Holding a manufacturer liable for the misuse of a lawfully manufactured product is unreasonable. (Barr, 8-9) The cigarette manufacturers have complied with every restriction the government has placed on the industry, including warning labels and non-advertising campaigns, as well as awareness campaigns concerning the dangers associated with smoking. The government is now attempting to extort money from the industry on top of the windfall the government already receives each year. Tobacco as a Campaign Issue: This leads to the issue of accepting tobacco donations to campaign funds. Recent tobacco legislation has been thwarted in the Senate. Some say it is because of money from tobacco companies for certain candidates. However, the facts show that the tobacco industry contributes to a majority of the legislature, and the individual amounts of these contributions do not coincide with votes regarding tobacco issues. .ufd100bdb83ed5bdc4389a042c18aafca , .ufd100bdb83ed5bdc4389a042c18aafca .postImageUrl , .ufd100bdb83ed5bdc4389a042c18aafca .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ufd100bdb83ed5bdc4389a042c18aafca , .ufd100bdb83ed5bdc4389a042c18aafca:hover , .ufd100bdb83ed5bdc4389a042c18aafca:visited , .ufd100bdb83ed5bdc4389a042c18aafca:active { border:0!important; } .ufd100bdb83ed5bdc4389a042c18aafca .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ufd100bdb83ed5bdc4389a042c18aafca { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ufd100bdb83ed5bdc4389a042c18aafca:active , .ufd100bdb83ed5bdc4389a042c18aafca:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ufd100bdb83ed5bdc4389a042c18aafca .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ufd100bdb83ed5bdc4389a042c18aafca .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ufd100bdb83ed5bdc4389a042c18aafca .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ufd100bdb83ed5bdc4389a042c18aafca .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ufd100bdb83ed5bdc4389a042c18aafca:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ufd100bdb83ed5bdc4389a042c18aafca .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ufd100bdb83ed5bdc4389a042c18aafca .ufd100bdb83ed5bdc4389a042c18aafca-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ufd100bdb83ed5bdc4389a042c18aafca:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: My Family Structure Sample EssayAs evidenced in exhibit 1, the Senate held a vote on June 17, 1998, at which opponents to the tobacco industry lost an important vote to push legislation through concerning the tobacco industry. The Senate needed 60 votes to limit debate and force a vote on the tobacco legislation. Exhibit 1 represents tobacco PAC and individual contributions to Senators for the last three election cycles (1993-98). The average total for the 42 Senators who voted against limiting debate (in favor of the tobacco industry) was $25,748. The average total for the 57 Senators who voted for limiting debate, however, was still $7,986. The exhibit shows that both proponents and opponents of the tobacco industry willingly accept campaign contributions from the industry and from friends of the industry. The second issue is the use of huge tobacco litigation wins being used to bolster someone into a political office. The Democratic Party had hoped to capitalize on some large victories over the tobacco industry in last years major attorneys general class action lawsuit against the leading tobacco manufacturers to win gubernatorial seats in major states. Two of the most outspoken opponents of the tobacco industry, attorneys general Hubert H. Humphrey III and Scott Harshbarger, ran for governor in their respective states of Minnesota and Massachusetts. Both of them are democrats and were instrumental in negotiating large settlements with the tobacco industry for their respective states. However, both lost their bids, Humphrey finishing a distant third behind Reform Party candidate Jesse Ventura and his Republican opponent, Norm Coleman in Minnesota. Both used the tobacco issue as a major part of his campaign platform. There were several other potential candidates that lost major elections where the tobacco issue was heavily focused on in their platforms. (Torry Schwartz, A02). Most agree that the issue had become impotent since the Senate Republicans had voted to kill the national tobacco bill last June and too much time had passed. Also, the industry made a concerted effort, through advertising campaigns, to paint the Democrats as candidates in favor of higher taxes. There was at least one election where the tobacco issue was used to defeat an opponent. In Massachusetts, Acting Governor Paul Cellucci accused Harshbarger of being a taxer and spender because he supported a large tobacco tax, which was already in effect that funds Medicaid coverage for about 100,000 residents. Since Harshbarger ended up defending the tax, the campaign paid off for Governor Cellucci and he won reelection. The reason this tactic worked was not the tobacco issue itself, but the underlying elements in a candidates platform. The use of a victory over the tobacco industry has not been effective in winning an election, at least not yet. Torry Schwartz, A02). Philip Morris: In a recent article in Business Week, written by John A. Byrne, an in-depth view of the worlds largest tobacco manufacturing company shows the full scope of the tobacco issue. Philip Morris is one of the most reviled companies in the U. S. , however the company continues to be one of the worlds most generous corporations. The company contributes over $60 million in cash and $15 million in food to fight hunger, domestic violence, and to support the arts. Employees of the company contribute over $5 million a year to various charities. But, the company fights an uphill battle, even when it comes to charitable contributions. Recently, the company awarded a $4. 3 million grant to the National 4-H Council but activists were quick to mount a lobbying effort to get state groups to reject the grants, alleging that Philip Morris generosity was little more than a public relations stunt to drum up new support for the ailing industry. More than half of the agencies have since turned down the funding. The company has been attempting to cut down on youth smoking by implementing forward-thinking campaigns against youth smoking. Philip Morris has ended cigarette sampling, mail distribution of cigarettes, vending-machine sales, and mass-transit and outdoor advertising. The company has spent money and time to train more than 30,000 retailers on how to recognize face I. D. s and upped its investment in youth smoking-prevention programs to $100 million. This does nothing for the publics image of the tobacco firm and the stock has shown this disdain. In the words of the current Chairman and Chief Operating Officer, Geoffrey C. Bible, the company has become the dog of the Dow, whose stock has dropped off $83. 2 billion in value over the past several years. All of this has forced the company to expand its overseas markets in order to survive in the corporate world. The main incentives to overseas marketing and capitalization are the fact that there are more tolerant nonsmokers abroad and the opposition is less organized, but the most important reason to move is the fact that overseas consumers are less litigious than in the U. S. But, the company plans responsibility in the overseas markets. The company now has 83 youth prevention programs in 55 countries in order to prevent attack on the industry. (Byrne, 176-192). The bottom line in the debate over the tobacco industry is responsibility. This is a question that each person must answer for themselves, but the law is on the side of the tobacco firms and the political climate, though changing rapidly, must take into account the ramifications of regulations that are too stiff on an independent, legal industry before passing judgment. Tobacco is dangerous. No one disputes this claim any longer. However, the responsibility must remain with the individual. The state cannot hold an industry responsible for the misuse of a product. Tobacco is a risky product. Beer is a risky product. There are foods. that are risky products. I think that adults are wise enough to make decisions about those things. I am concerned about a society that might restrict or restrain those choices. You know, today its tobacco. Tomorrow, maybe its beer. The next day, it might be hot dogs. I think Im capable of deciding whether or not I want to eat a hot dog. This quote is from Robert A. Eckert, Chief Executive Officer of Kraft Foods, Inc. (Byrne, 184) and vividly illustrates the slippery-slope possibilities surrounding more and more legislation of the tobacco industry. Economic Issues Since the 1930s, the United States government has strictly regulated the tobacco industry. However, the last few decades have shown the most drastic regulations including the regulation of sale as well as advertising of tobacco in this country. The ultimate intention of the government is to reduce the amount of tobacco consumed by consumers in this country in order to provide healthier lives for the American population. The tobacco industry has seen the consumption of its products rise worldwide. It has grown in about 100 countries and takes in more than $275 billion in sales with about 1. 5 percent growth per year. These numbers are in spite of a 2 percent decrease in the 1. million smokers, which accounts for over one quarter of the worlds population, over the last decade (Hoovers). One may wonder how this is possible. One reason is that some government restrictions actually work in the tobacco companies favor. Since the tobacco companies are not allowed to spend virtually any money on marketing domestically, they have more money to spend on marketing overseas, where its markets continue to grow due to the prestige of the American blend cigarettes. This rise in tobacco use accompanies the rise of disposable income in these markets, where regulation and demonization have not had an impact yet (Masters, 87). China consumes about 30 percent of all cigarettes produced, more than any other country. The China National Tobacco Corporation also leads the world in tobacco and cigarette production. The U. S. only accounts for about 10 percent, but the industry takes in about $45 billion yearly. This comes out to the average smoker spending more than $260 per year on tobacco products. Sales in the industry have also shown an increase in the past decade from just over $200 billion to well over $260 billion (Hoovers). The U. S. obacco industry is extremely profitable because of the oligopoly the companies have, which makes entry into the market extremely difficult. The level of sales needed to justify the enormous legal cost associated with this controversial market also makes market entry difficult for new companies. Although tobacco companies profit margin is about double that of any other packaged good, the substantial costs of packaged goods on a national scale, along with the money it takes to acquire facilities for production and distribution, are major barriers to entry in the tobacco industry (Hoovers). Higher selling prices and greater restrictions on where people are allowed to smoke have proven to be effective in lowering the consumption of tobacco. Another factor that has lowered consumption is Americas increased interest in healthy living, largely attributable to the baby boom generation. The older people get, the more they pay attention to what constitutes a healthy lifestyle. These factors have called for the increased government regulation of tobacco in its industry. The regulations the government has set forth however, have ironically made the tobacco companies more profitable. The U. S. and state governments are direct beneficiaries of these profits receiving $11. 9 billion from excise taxes in 1993 (Coltrain). Tobacco, in this aspect, can be argued that it is a great economical asset to our governments. In 1998, a $206 billion agreement was reached between tobacco producers and 46 states to resolve all state claims for health costs related to smoking, which has forced the tobacco companies to make changes (Melillo). Earlier this year, advertising on billboards, sides of buses, subways, and tops of taxis has come to a halt. Stadium advertising has also stopped and tobacco companies are only allowed one sponsorship per year per company. In addition to this agreement, President Clinton signed legislation in August of 1997 to reduce tobacco consumption even further. This legislation will increase the federal excise taxes (FET), on cigarettes to 34 cents per pack beginning on January 1, 2000. Taxes on other tobacco products will also increase accordingly. On January 1, 2002, the FET will increase again for all tobacco products with a 39 cents per pack increase for cigarettes. In addition to the federal taxes, states can also impose taxes on tobacco products. These taxes range from one dollar per pack to as low as 2. 5 cents per pack. 43 states impose sales tax on cigarettes. The USDA has estimated that the taxes on tobacco have caused the consumption of cigarettes to decline nearly 10 percent from 1990 to 1998. The reason consumption has declined is because of consumers demand elasticity. Demand elasticity is a measure of how responsive a market is to price changes. Since the tobacco market is elastic, an increase in price would cause a drop in consumption (Standard Poors). The $206 billion dollar settlement that was reached last year between the tobacco companies and the 46 states was a compact replacement of the first attempted deal. The cigarette makers agreed to give the states $358 billion over 25 years, plus $10 billion up front in lump-sum damages. The money would have come from raising cigarette prices by 35 cents per pack straight away and by 62 cents after five years, plus allowances for evaluation. The only people this deal would hurt would be the consumers. This plan failed because congressional leaders were not brought on board, and for the plan to work they had to agree to it. The bill was then recast as a company-bashing measure and the manufacturers backed out. This resulted in the $206 billion settlement, a multi-state deal that required no cooperation in Washington (Standard Poors). It would have been better for states to impose an explicit, well-designed tax with more marketing restrictions. Instead, the settlement allows each participating state to levy a tax on cigarettes sold anywhere in America. The states that do not take part will still pay the tax and will receive no share of the revenues, which is a strong incentive for states to sign on. The reasons the explicit, well-designed tax with more marketing restrictions was not imposed is because there would have been nothing in it for the lawyers. These taxes would have also required express legislative approval state by state, which the settlement was designed to get around, and because an explicit tax could only be levied by any particular state only on cigarettes sold within that state. In short, the lawyers have come up with the settlement so they can get a piece of the action (Economist). Agriculture The nations crop of leaf is grown by tobacco farmers, located mainly in the southeastern U. S. , and accounts for 502,210 jobs (Capehart). Their crop is usually sold at public auction to the highest bidder. Leaf prices are supported under the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1933, which has been amended many times over the years but the programs basic components remain in place. U. S. tobacco growers are guaranteed minimum prices through price supports and this system has made U. S. grown tobacco more expensive than most non-U. S. tobacco, which results in a decline in exports (Standard Poors). The number of farms growing tobacco has declined rapidly during the last 40 years. From 1992 to 1997 farm numbers declined more than any other period since 1950. This trend toward fewer, larger farms will continue, but at what rate will depend on several factors such as the factors covered earlier: policies and programs affecting tobacco, U. S. and world consumption of tobacco, and alternative crop and off-farm income opportunities for tobacco growers (Foreman). Ethical Implications Ethics is the general nature of morals and the specific moral choices an individual makes in relating to others. Like most major issues, the tobacco issue poses some ethical questions that are difficult to answer. One factor that makes these ethical questions so difficult is that people generally search for the answer that pleases them the most. For example, if one were to ask a person who had developed lung cancer from smoking whether or not the big tobacco companies should be responsible for his or her disease, he or she would probably answer affirmatively. However, if someone were to ask a nonsmoker who should be responsible, he or she would probably answer that the individual himself is responsible. Some of the ethical issues that society is facing with the tobacco industry are: the placement of responsibility on the consumer or the producer, the question of whether the producers have to pay compensatory damages for smoking illnesses, the issue of involuntary smoking, selling in foreign markets and lastly the promotion of tobacco products. .u997c4ef9623d4d7b3d0f5465e2f87b8e , .u997c4ef9623d4d7b3d0f5465e2f87b8e .postImageUrl , .u997c4ef9623d4d7b3d0f5465e2f87b8e .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u997c4ef9623d4d7b3d0f5465e2f87b8e , .u997c4ef9623d4d7b3d0f5465e2f87b8e:hover , .u997c4ef9623d4d7b3d0f5465e2f87b8e:visited , .u997c4ef9623d4d7b3d0f5465e2f87b8e:active { border:0!important; } .u997c4ef9623d4d7b3d0f5465e2f87b8e .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u997c4ef9623d4d7b3d0f5465e2f87b8e { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u997c4ef9623d4d7b3d0f5465e2f87b8e:active , .u997c4ef9623d4d7b3d0f5465e2f87b8e:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u997c4ef9623d4d7b3d0f5465e2f87b8e .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u997c4ef9623d4d7b3d0f5465e2f87b8e .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u997c4ef9623d4d7b3d0f5465e2f87b8e .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u997c4ef9623d4d7b3d0f5465e2f87b8e .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u997c4ef9623d4d7b3d0f5465e2f87b8e:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u997c4ef9623d4d7b3d0f5465e2f87b8e .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u997c4ef9623d4d7b3d0f5465e2f87b8e .u997c4ef9623d4d7b3d0f5465e2f87b8e-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u997c4ef9623d4d7b3d0f5465e2f87b8e:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: John D. Rockelfeller was a rich man who made his f EssayTobacco use accounts for at least 29% of all cancer deaths, is a major cause of heart disease, and is associated with conditions ranging from colds and gastric ulcers to chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and cerebrovascular disease. On average, each cigarette pack sold costs Americans more than $3. 90 in smoking-related expenses. The fact is, when smokers purchase a pack of cigarettes at the store they know what they are buying! Like many other products that are sold today, they are dangerous to your health if used excessively. If it were to be decided that the tobacco companies were responsible for smoking related illnesses, it could open up a whole new view on product liability. Take the alcohol industry for example: drinking an excessive amount of alcoholic beverages has been proven to increase the chances of developing serious health problems. Should the alcohol manufacturers be responsible for this? The logical answer is no! There have been warnings posted on cigarette packs since 1966 informing the consumer of the carcinogenic contents of cigarettes and their harmful effects. Consumers of tobacco products understand that there are certain health risks involved in smoking. It is not a case of merely educating people about the risks of smoking. What it comes down to is personal freedom: people have the right to smoke. Accompanying any type of right or privilege are consequences and responsibilities. People make the conscious choice to smoke and must therefore accept the consequences of that choice. Smoking costs the United States approximately $97. 2 billion each year in health-care costs and lost productivity. The ethical question posed here is whether or not the government should be compensated for this cost. The U. S. Justice Department launched a multi-billion dollar lawsuit against the tobacco industry, accusing the worlds largest cigarette companies of conspiring to defraud and mislead the public for more than 40 years. The lawsuit, filed in Washington, seeks to recover the medical costs for treating smoking-related conditions paid by the federal government over the past six years as well as a potentially huge sum representing the disgorgement of ill-gotten gains dating back to the 1950s (Edgecliffe, 1). Critics of this lawsuit say that the case is not based on facts and that the government is merely trying to make a financial gain. They also point out that the government has been involved in almost every aspect of the tobacco industry and has already collected tens of billions of dollars in taxes on cigarette sales. The case brought on by the justice department is not the only threat against the big tobacco companies. There are also cases being filed by 46 U. S. states, individual sick smokers, and even class action lawsuits. If the case with the U. S. Justice Department was settled, it would prohibit punitive damages for all future legal claims against the tobacco industry, set an annual cap on the amount of compensatory damages allowable in all future legal cases against the industry, prohibit class-action lawsuits, third-party payer suits, and claims against industry attorneys, and legislatively settle all present and future claims of potential plaintiffs, including generations of future tobacco victims not yet born (Siegel, 15). Each of these rulings involves some ethical implications. By prohibiting punitive damages and putting a cap on the amount of compensatory damages, the Justice Department is addressing the fact that the tobacco manufacturers are not doing anything wrong in production of their products, but it allows for people to collect compensatory damages up to a certain limit when serious illnesses occur. When considering the ethical implications of smoking, one must look at everyone involved in the issue. Certainly, the consequences of tobacco use directly affect the user, who suffers the harm resulting from a conscious choice of using the substance. Just as significantly, passive inhalation has contributed to the declining health of non-users, who are exposed to this product (Otapski, 1). In 1993, the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency declared that secondhand smoke is a human carcinogen. They estimate that about 3,000 nonsmoking adults die of lung cancer each year as a result of breathing the smoke of others cigarettes. Government regulations relating to smoking in public buildings were rare prior to the 1970s. Most of the regulations that were in effect were intended to promote safety through fire prevention. The number of regulations relating to second- hand smoke in public buildings has grown tremendously. These statutes, generally known as clean indoor air laws, extended public safety concerns by limiting the nonsmokers exposure to tobacco smoke in public establishments and private work places (Otapski, 2). Smokers and nonsmokers have conflicting interests in exercising their respective liberty in shared facilities. To completely ban cigarette smoking would be unjust to smokers; yet allowing people to use tobacco products in public buildings, even if it is segregated, infringes on the non-users rights. This is the ethical problem that concerns individual rights. Since the effects of secondhand smoke were discovered, most public places have banned cigarette smoking while others have divided the seating up into smoking and nonsmoking sections. Per capita consumption of cigarettes continues to decline in the U. S. Data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) shows that cigarette smoking among adults aged 18 and over declined 40% between 1965 and 1990. There was little to no change in smoking prevalence between 1990 and 1994, however. This has prompted the larger tobacco companies to use more aggressive marketing by expanding into foreign markets, hence increasing tobacco exports from about 2. 1 billion in 1986 to 5. 3 billion in 1996. The largest overseas markets for U. S. igarettes are Japan and Europe. Does the U. S. bear any responsibility for chasing tobacco overseas? Not if it is determined that people are responsible for their own choices; there is no way to justify that it is morally wrong for the companies like Phillip Morris and RJ Reynolds to be responsible for smoking related illnesses that occur overseas. The promotion of tobacco products is another area that has ethical implications. Critics of the tob acco companies suggest that the advertising for their tobacco products is geared toward the younger generation. This was especially true after the introduction of Joe Camel by RJ Reynolds. Before his introduction, Camel captured 1% of the teen market; now its 60% (Bangor, 12). In defense of the tobacco companies since most youth-oriented magazines have many more adult readers than youth readers, these studies cannot exclude the possibility that cigarette advertisements in these magazines may be targeting young adult readers age 18 to 24 rather than those younger than 18 years of age (King, 516). On August 23, 1996, President Clinton approved the FDA regulation which includes reducing easy access to tobacco by youth by: setting a minimum age of 18 with age verification, banning vending machines except where minors are not allowed, prohibiting the sale of single cigarettes, and prohibiting the distribution of free cigarette samples. The FDA has also created other regulations in order to reduce the appeal of tobacco products to children. There are numerous ethical implications when looking at the tobacco issue. The biggest issue is that of responsibility. The tobacco companies should not be held accountable for the illnesses that people incur from using tobacco products. There are many products on the market that can cause health problems if used in excess; cigarettes are not excluded. Since the consumer is responsible for his or her actions, the tobacco manufacturers should not be obligated to pay any compensatory or punitive damages on behalf of the tobacco user. Tobacco use in the U. S. is currently experiencing little or no growth. This is due partially to the more rigid regulations regarding advertising and to the fact that smoking is no longer allowed or has been constricted to a certain area in most public buildings. Since tobacco use is slowing down in the U. S. , the tobacco giants are focusing their efforts toward foreign markets. The responsibility should be lifted for tobacco companies who sell their products overseas, as long as they follow the same requirements that the FDA has implemented in the U. S. No matter what country, people are ultimately responsible for how they want to live their lives. If they choose to buy a pack of cigarettes and ignore the risks written on the package, that is their right! Everyone knows that smoking kills, the question is: is it worth it? Social Aspects of Tobacco Smoking The consumption of tobacco by smoking is quite an intriguing social phenomenon. Although there are opposing views as to whether or not substances found in the smoke, such as nicotine, are physically addictive, it is not difficult to see the social compulsion exerted on a large number of people. There are a number of ways in which we can observe some of the unique social aspects of smoking. One of the most interesting is that of the smokers bond. There exists, among a surprising number of smokers, an instant unspoken bond amongst them, strictly because they do smoke. A smoker who happens to be out of cigarettes can approach a total stranger on the street and ask for a cigarette, and it is not perceived by the general public as being particularly odd. It is hard to think of any other consumable good that forms this kind of bond amongst strangers. Another interesting observation is that of the cigarette as a prop, or as a tool. One might incorporate their smoking habit into their personal set of gestures and way of speaking, assimilating the habit into their personality so to speak. Additionally, smoking a cigarette can be used as a tool to pass the time, or to give the illusion of having an activity. If a person is standing on a street corner, just looking around and/or staring off into space, you might think What is that person doing? But if that same person were instead smoking a cigarette, now they have an activity: Oh, that person is stopping to have a smoke. These and other examples make a strong argument for tobacco smoking as a social addiction, perhaps even moreso than a physical addiction. Techniques employed by tobacco companies Tobacco companies do attempt to encourage consumption at the youngest legally allowed ages. Studies show that 80 to 90 percent of U. S. smokers took up the habit before age 20. (CQ Researcher) This however, is nothing more than strategic target-marketing, employed by makers of all sorts of products. If the law allows tobacco to be sold to eighteen year olds, then why would a company not try to aim their marketing in that direction? Some tactics criticized have included promotional items that seemingly appeal more to teen-agers than to adults. The complaint is that the items also appeal to those below the national smoking age limit of eighteen years of age. High schools have been known to ban students from wearing items such as T-shirts, jackets, and caps that bear the names of tobacco products. Curiously enough though, there are still high schools that allow some section of their student body (presumably those who are of age) to smoke in designated areas on campus, although this practice has diminished over the years. Most of the above issues pertain to smoking and its effects here in the United States of America. However, another perceived issue is that of our tobacco exports to foreign countries. Just like any other potentially hazardous substance, pesticides for example, there are opinions voice that there are moral implications connected to selling products overseas where the regulations may not be as strict. But again, as referenced in other substances cases, it is ultimately the responsibility of the importing country to know what they are taking on. In fact, it would make sense that our Unites States made cigarettes would be probably safer than cigarettes manufactured locally in the third world countries due to our stricter manufacturing standards and regulations. The climate towards smoking in the United States is probably at its most negative since the habit was introduced to our shores. Advertisements for smoking cessation programs and products flood the airwaves. The amount of information available to consumers is at an all-time high. Why then do people continue to smoke? It might have been easy in the past to implicate the tobacco companies for lack of information concerning the health risks, but that is hardly the case today. There have been increased requirements for warnings on the advertisements as well as the products themselves. Health information available via print, broadcast media, and especially the surge in popularity of the Internet all adds up to a wealth of information available. It is still the responsibility of the consumer to weigh his or her own personal pros and cons of using a product. It cannot ever be assumed that any product available for legal purchase on the open market does not carry any risk along with it. Conclusion Ultimately, tobacco use is a decision made by the individual. Although there are a number of factors that influence the consumer, it is ultimately that individuals conscious decision whether or not to engage in the activity, as well as to determine to what extent they will participate. Benjamin Franklin is often attributed as having endorsed the philosophy All things in moderation. It can be argued that a substance and its manufacturers are not simply evil just by existing. The concepts of use and abuse must be considered. Individuals who smoke a pack (~ 20 cigarettes) or more per day ought to ask themselves whether they are using or abusing the substance. Conversely, individuals who enjoy a cigarette or cigar only once in a while on special occasion might ask themselves if they are actually engaged in such a dangerous activity. There are steps that the government can take to help save people from themselves, but only if and when the majority of the people can agree that those steps are necessary. For example, there have been major increases in regulations over the course of the last 35 or so years, starting most notably with the 1965 Labeling Act. It is not fair to hold the tobacco companies responsible for tobacco-related deaths anymore than it is fair to hold the alcoholic beverage companies responsible for drunk-driving fatalities. Juries have demonstrated this multiple times over in our court system. Assuming that jury selection is fair, then it could be argued that this is representative of American popular opinion in the matter. In summary, when one takes the time to weigh the evidence, it becomes clear that the ultimate responsibility falls on the people as a whole to educate themselves and be enlightened with respect to what is or is not healthy. Although it is convenient to have a large, wealthy corporation to blame when things go wrong, ultimately people need to first learn to take advantage of the resources available to educate themselves about the products they consume, and then learn to take responsibility for their own choices and actions.

10 Examples of Electrical Conductors and Insulators

10 Examples of Electrical Conductors and Insulators Do you need examples of electrical conductors and insulators? Heres a handy list, but first, lets review just what conductors and insulators are. How Electrical Conductors and Insulators Work Electrical conductors are materials that conduct electricity; insulators dont. Why? Whether a substance conducts electricity depends on how easily electrons can move through it. Protons dont move because, while they would carry electrical charge, they are bound to other protons and neutrons in atomic nuclei. Valence electrons are like outer planets orbiting a star. They are attracted enough to stay in position, but it doesnt always take a lot of energy to knock them out of place. Metals readily lose and gain electrons, so they rule the list of conductors. Organic molecules are mostly insulators, in part because they are held together by covalent (shared electron) bonds and also because hydrogen bonding helps stabilize many molecules. Most materials are neither good conductors, nor good insulators. They dont readily conduct, but if enough energy is supplied, the electrons will move. Some materials are insulators in pure form, but will conduct if they are doped with small quantities of another element or if they contain impurities. For example, most ceramics are excellent insulators, but if you dope them, you can get a superconductor. Pure water is an insulator, but dirty water conducts weakly and salt water, with its free-floating ions, conducts well. 10 Electrical Conductors The best electrical conductor, under conditions of ordinary temperature and pressure, is the metallic element silver. Its not always an ideal choice as a material, though, because of its cost and because it tarnishes. The oxide layer known as tarnish is not conductive. Similarly, rust, verdigris, and other oxide layers reduce conductivity. silvergoldcopperaluminummercurysteelironsea waterconcretemercury more conductors: platinumbrassbronzegraphitedirty waterlemon juice 10 Electrical Insulators rubberglasspure wateroilairdiamonddry wooddry cottonplasticasphalt more insulators: fiberglassdry paperporceleinceramicquartz Its worth noting the shape and size of a material affects conductivity. A thick piece of matter will conduct better than a thin piece of the same length. If you take two pieces of a material that are the same thickness, but one is shorter than the other, the shorter one will conduct better. It has less resistance, in much the same way its easier to force water through a short pipe than a long one. Temperature also affects conductivity. As increase temperature, atoms and their electrons gain energy. Some insulators (e.g., glass) are poor conductors when cool, yet good conductors when hot. Most metals are better conductors when cool and poorer conductors when hot. Some good conductors become superconductors at extremely low temperatures. Although electrons flow through a conductive material, they dont damage the atoms or cause wear, like you would get from friction of water in a canyon, for example. Moving electrons do experience resistance or cause friction, however. The flow of electrical current can lead to heating of a conductive material. Do you need more examples? Here is a more comprehensive list that includes thermal conductors and insulators.

Show, Dont Tell

Show, Dont Tell Show, Dont Tell Show, Dont Tell By Erin Anyone who’s ever written a short story or taken a freshman composition course has heard the words â€Å"show, don’t tell.† I know those words can be frustrating. You might not know exactly what â€Å"show, don’t tell† means. Or you might believe that you are showing when you’re really telling. While â€Å"telling† can be useful, even necessary, most people don’t realize how vital â€Å"showing† is to an effective story, essay, or even a blog post. Showing allows the reader to follow the author into the moment, to see and feel and experience what the author has experienced. Using the proper balance of showing and telling will make your writing more interesting and effective. â€Å"Okay, I get it,† you’re thinking. â€Å"But how do I do it? How do I bring more showing into my writing?† I’m glad you asked. Here are some tips that will help make your writing more vivid and alive for your reader. 1. Use dialogue This is probably one of the first things I talk to my students about when I have them write personal essays. Dialogue allows the reader to experience a scene as if they were there. Instead of telling the reader your mom was angry, they can hear it for themselves: â€Å"Justin Michael,† mom bellowed, â€Å"Get in here this instant!† Dialogue can give your reader a great deal about character, emotion and mood. 2. Use sensory language In order for readers to fully experience what you’re writing about, they need to be able to see, hear, taste, smell and touch the world around them. Try to use language that incorporates several senses, not just sight. 3. Be descriptive I’m sure everyone remembers learning to use adjectives and adverbs in elementary school. When we’re told to be more descriptive, it’s easy to go back to those things that we were taught. But being descriptive is more than just inserting a string of descriptive words. It’s carefully choosing the right words and using them sparingly to convey your meaning. The following example is from a short story I wrote. Telling: He sits on the couch holding his guitar. There’s nothing wrong with that sentence. It gives the reader some basic information, but it doesn’t create an image. Compare that sentence with this: Showing: His eyes are closed, and he’s cradling the guitar in his arms like a lover. It’s as if he’s trying to hold on to something that wants to let go. The second example takes that basic information and paints a picture with it. It also uses figurative language- in this case, the simile â€Å"cradling the guitar in his arms like a lover†- to help create an image. When using description, it’s important not to overdo it. Otherwise, you can end up with what I call â€Å"police blotter† description. For example: He was tall, with brown hair and blue eyes. He wore a red shirt and jeans, and a brown leather jacket. 4. Be specific, not vague This is another one I’m constantly reminding my college students about. Frequently, they will turn in essays with vague, fuzzy language. I’m not sure if they think this type of writing sounds more academic, but all it really does is frustrate the reader. Instead of writing, â€Å"I had never felt anything like it before in my entire life,† take the time to try and describe what that feeling was, and then decide how best to convey that feeling to the reader. Your readers will thank you for it. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Fiction Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Cost-Effective vs. Cost-EfficientCapitalization Rules for the Names of Games40 Idioms with First

Project Management 4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Project Management 4 - Essay Example formation certain mechanism can be adopted which may include meetings, seminar, pamphlet sharing within the organization or other sources of enabling knowledge information. Incase effective communication is not being provided or is not in place, mechanism would be introduced for enhancing the overall flow of information, and this would be done by removing the barriers if any may exist. In case the communication means are not effective, proper guidelines would be devised, roles would be clearly defined and the task at hand would be better explained both from managerial view point and the technical view point. Technology is of high importance with regard to the communication purpose (Beck et.al 2009). For this reason state of the art devices and technological equipment must be incorporated into the system which enable inside the organization and outside the organization effective communication

The United States should NOT withdraw its troops from Afganistan in Essay

The United States should NOT withdraw its troops from Afganistan in 2014 as currently planned - Essay Example have started to believe that withdrawal of forces is necessary as the conflict has resulted in thousands of death and the figures continue to rise without any positive impact. According to the figures of June 2011, over 1500 US military officials have lost their lives and this figure does not constitute those who expired due to injuries. Several factors that need to be considered while deciding about the decision of withdrawal including return of Taliban and the outcome of the war. The entire cost of the war has been quite high and the war has been associated with the recent recession experienced by the entire world. Afghanistan itself is in very bad conditions, the infrastructure has been destroyed during the course of the war. Before exiting from Afghanistan, US needs to make sure that life is restored in Afghanistan, if the troops leave now, the probability of return of Taliban and increase in the number of terrorists is quite high. The war was led by United States and if they quit the region, other nations will follow their lead and the allied forces will lose control. On 12 February 2013, President Obama talked about withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan and the public of United States demands the same (GORDON, 2013). Withdrawing now is not a favorable option as the country is still under the threat of terrorists. If US troops leave now, the Taliban will return to nation as soon as the troops leave. This means that in future, events such as 9/11 will have a higher probability of re-occurring. Death of Osama Bin Laden does not mark the end of terrorism, as replacements of his leadership are already operational. To counter the issue, US troops need to continue fighting in Afghanistan and remain there until life is restored in Afghanistan and all terrorists are eliminated. Withdrawal of troops during 2014 without achievement of end of terrorism and restoration of life in Afghanistan will raise question regarding the entire war. Those who lost their loved ones

All Firms Should Produce at MR=MC Essay Example for Free

All Firms Should Produce at MR=MC Essay In economics, the point of profit maximizing and loss minimizing is called MR=MC. This point is where marginal revenue equals marginal cost, meaning that cost does not exceed revenue and revenue does not exceed cost. This is a profit-maximizing zone, meaning that total cost is not the lowest, but is farthest away from the total returns. The optimal point of production for the firm is at the point MR=MC. Marginal revenue is defined as the change in total revenue as a result of producing an additional unit, while marginal cost is the increase or decrease of a firms total cost of production as a result of the change in production by one additional unit. When these two are equal, the firm is not losing money, and is making the most profit possible. In the area of the graph where less quantity is being sold, the firm still obtains a profit but it is not maximized, and in the area of the graph where more quantity is being sold, profit is less and money can be lost from the firm. To the left of MR=MC, cost is low to the firm and revenue is high. As the graph progresses toward the point of MR=MC, each unit provides less and less profit. As the first unit is produced, the profit is high for that unit, but the profit for each extra unit produced declines toward the point of profit maximization. This may sound absurd, and may make the reader wonder why the firm does not produce at the first unit. However, as each unit is produced, the firm gets to keep the profit from every unit produced previously. This would add up to far more profit than if the firm produced when cost is lowest and revenue is greatest. The point where marginal revenue equals marginal cost is the point where all of the profits from the previous units are combined. At this point, total cost is not at its lowest, and total revenue is not the greatest, but are farthest away from each other, which is represented in the graphs attached. It is true that in the less quantity level of the graph revenue exceeds cost, however, the profit at MR=MC is far more than any of the units produced. To the right of MR=MC, total costs exceed total revenue. The firm would spend more money on workers, resources, and the production of goods, and not get a  great profit back. Once the quantity of goods produced passes the point where MR=MC, the firm not only does not make a great profit, but after a while, it loses the money that the company has already, and soon the company would go into debt. The point of profit maximization and loss minimization is the ideal point of production because if the firm was to produce more, all previous profit would be lost and the firm could possibly close down. As shown in the graphs attached, the profit depletes until the point where money is being taken from the firm just to produce more. When the firm cuts down its production and gets to the point of MR=MC again, the profit will once again be maximized. To conclude, the point of loss minimization and profit maximization is where marginal revenue equals marginal costs. This way, all profit from previous units sold is combined for a large profit and all costs do not exceed the total revenue. The firm should always produce at the point where MR=MC. If they move to the left or right of this point, total profit would drop. As the change in total revenue changes, so does the cost of production. The optimal point of production is when both of these are equal to each other. The graphs attached show how profit is still being made on other points of the curve, but MR=MC is the greatest. If a firm wants to increase revenue and profit, the best bet is to produce where marginal return is equal to marginal cost.

An Essay Bribery Act 2010

An Essay Bribery Act 2010

Disease Surveillance

Disease surveillance is defined as the systematic data collection, data analysis and interpretation of the results in order to enable effective planning in the aspect of disease control. It enables infectious diseases to be detected early so that their potential threat to the public is minimized. The threats may be due to cases of food borne infections, bioterrorism and communicable diseases (Lombardo and Buckeridge, 2007). There are several systems and networks that have been put in place in order to help in the surveillance of infectious diseases.Disease surveillance also requires the collaboration of different partners and officials, an effective communication system and reliable laboratory networks in order to be effective. BioSense involves the use of syndromic data derived from different electronic sources. This improves the speed at which disease is detected. It enables outbreaks to be detected early enough before they lead to serious problems. It has been applied in different sectors by the state such as to detect any cases of bioterrorism and other threats that may put the lives of the citizens in danger.This system has been employed by CDC (United States Government Accountability Office, 2004). Electronic Laboratory Exchange Networks (eLEXNET) is a surveillance system used in food safety. It is a web-based system used in state, federal and even local agencies. It enables the collaboration of both the government and health officials in that the data regarding food safety is shared and therefore the potential risk of a possible outbreak of food borne diseases is detected early enough (United States Government Accountability Office, 2004).The other type of syndromic system is the Electronic Surveillance System for the Early Notification of Community based Epidemics (ESSENCE). It relies on data that is got from hospitals, dispensaries and clinics. This data is collected daily and assist in the tracking of the common syndromes found in a particular area. H istorical data is also helpful in this system since it acts as a starting point for the epidemiologists. The officials can also pin point the specific area or region with a high number of a certain syndrome through the use of a geographic information system (United States Government Accountability Office, 2004).Epidemic Information Exchange (Epi-X) is a web based communication system usually used by CDC. It enables the sharing of information with the state, federal and other pubic health officials. It is an effective system since it enables the authorized users to share information and get feedbacks on every issue such as the efforts put in place for the control of infectious diseases (United States Government Accountability Office, 2004). Food borne Disease Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet) is a system which is designed to respond to any new food borne disease that is of public importance.It also monitors the trend and identifies the specific sources of these diseases. It is a more reliable and an accurate system in the estimation of incidences of these diseases (United States Government Accountability Office, 2004). Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN) enable keen surveillance of diseases which have either been confirmed or rumored. It is mostly used by WHO in the surveillance of diseases that are of worldwide importance. The information is gotten from different sources such as the media, institutions and health ministries in different countries (United States Government Accountability Office, 2004).Other systems that have also been used include Global Public Health Intelligence (GPHIN), Health Alert Network (HAN), Laboratory Response Network (LRN), National Electronic Disease Surveillance System (NEDSS), National Electronic Telecommunications System for Surveillance (NETSS), National Retail Data Monitor (NRDM), Real Time Outbreak and Disease Surveillance (RODS) and Sexually Transmitted Disease Management Information System (STDMIS) (United States Government Accountability Office, 2004).These systems require a number of key factors in order for disease surveillance to be effective. First, the source of data must be reliable to enable the accurate and fast response during surveillance. The data is the baseline for surveillance as seen in all the systems above such as ESSENCE and BioSense. Therefore, surveillance cannot be possible without data. Secondly, effective communication networks which enables the information to be shared with other partners such as the state, federal and public health officials. References Lombardo, J.S. & Buckeridge, D.L. (2007).Disease Surveillance: A Public Health Informatics Approach. New Jersey: John Wiley & sons, Inc. United States Government Accountability Office. (2004). Emerging Infectious Diseases: Review   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   of State and Federal Disease Surveillance Efforts. Retrieved on 12th May 2010 from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d04877.pdf

American Superconductor Case

American Superconductor offer electric power infra structure from its generation to distribution. AMSC is the leader in alternate energy. The company has two main business units: AMSC power systems and AMSC Superconductors. AMSC Superconductors American Superconductor has spent nearly 18 years as public limited company developing transmission wires of high quality in order to generate and deliver power. The Company has been posting continuous losses and mostly dwindling on cash.It has however posted recently its first ever profit for the quarter ended 31st March 2009 by earning a profit of $1. 3 million or 3 cents per share. (MSN Money) Debt Verses Equity Financing Equity and debt financing both have their advantages and disadvantages explaining why most big companies select an optimal capital structure which is a mix of debt and equity. Theoretically having a higher ratio of debt in the capital structure maximizes the return on equity. The interest payments on debt are tax deductibl e and usually the cost of debt is much lower than the cost of equity.With debt financing a company pays a fixed interest payment irrespective of the amount of profit or growth it has achieved i. e. it does not have to share its profits with its creditors. For a profitable company requiring extra capital, â€Å"debt financing† is the best option because with debt financing it does not have to share its profits or the ownership of the business with others. Equity injection however results in further dilution of earnings and management control. With the above argument one may feel that debt financing is the best option.Debt financing is a good option as long as the company has huge profits and liquid assets to support it. For a business that is facing losses, debt payments can be a huge burden in the form of interest payments. The creditors will have to be paid while the stockholders on the other hand will not get any dividends since the company is only making a loss. We can the refore say that equity financing puts less of a burden on a company’s financials when profitability is depleting or business is posting a loss.Higher equity percentage in the capital structure impacts the financial ratios of the company positively. Restructuring to 100% Equity It all started after the 2003 black out which occurred due to the over load of power grids and American Superconductors stocks surged by nearly 42% as an expectation that the quality wires manufactured by American Superconductors could be used to relieve congestion on the power grids. The company took this situation as an opportunity and the managers and board of directors decided to forgo debt financing of $50 million and adopt an equity financing strategy.The company raised $51. 1 million by selling shares which helped strengthen the balance sheet and enhanced the liquidity condition of the company. American Superconductors however continued making losses, but conversion of capital structure to 100% e quity allowed the company to reduce its interest expense significantly. Since higher leverages magnifies return on equity of a profitable business but also maximizes the loss by putting additional pressure on the profit and loss account of a company.AMSC after converting to 100% equity capital structure saved millions of dollars every year in terms of interest expense. Recently AMSC has posted its first profit since the capital restructuring in 2003. If AMSC had not converted to equity financing it would have had a major problem financing its cash needs and credit worthiness would have gotten worse. The Debt to Equity ratio would have increased and debt would have gotten more and more expensive for the company thus increasing the interest expense of the company and it may have never became profitable.Long term debt continues to be zero whereas the number of outstanding shares can be seen increasing from 19. 7 million shares to 41. 5 million shares. Conclusion American Superconductor being a technology company had to face many challenges such as failed projects, higher cost of business and ever changing environment. Board of Directors in my opinion took a very good decision by not using long term debt in their capital structure. AMSC has been a subject of criticism but it has finally posted a profit and if it stays profitable they might want to rethink their optimal capital structure.

Internship Shadowing a Substance Abuse Counselor

Internship Shadowing a Substance Abuse Counselor Abstract Overwhelming challenges of the 21st century force many people to use drugs, as they are unable to keep up with the pace of the contemporary life. Many people become addicts and they are unable to handle the issues associated with their addiction.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Internship: Shadowing a Substance Abuse Counselor specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Therefore, counseling is coming to the fore, as counselors are able to assist drug addicts to quit their harmful habit and effectively integrate into the community. This paper dwells upon the internship at Legacy Services (New York). The intern shadowed a substance abuse counselor to gain the necessary experience for practice. It is necessary to note that participation in sessions and multi-disciplinary staff meetings; observation and contribution to development of certain treatments strategies equipped the intern with the necessary skills and knowledge that will help him be an efficient drug abuse counselor. Moreover, strong and weak sides of the Legacy Services are analyzed and conclusions are made. In the end of the work discussion of the main presented ideas is introduced. Recommendations and possible implications of the main ideas of the work are suggested. Introduction Statement of the Problem The issue of substance abuse counseling includes why people use drugs and to understand the effects on their health. It also considers the effects of drugs on one’s health as well as the resulting mental health issues because of substance abuse. Substance abuse has been around for years,and individuals are not aware of how to identify and learn to cope with the challenges of addiction. Additionally, behavioral assessments, intervention, multidisciplinary management, preparation, education, and program development and execution made huge changes in participants’ substance abuse behaviors (Babinski,Pelham, Waxmonsky, 2013). Advertising Looking for essay on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More According to Babinski et al. (2013),counseling for people who depend on chemicals requires some skills for it to be effective. Also, most participants prefer counseling that is done by specialists(Babinski et al., 2013). However, severalprograms of substance abuse were examined; all engaged moralistic group settings on various clinical issues, which showed the programscould affect participants’ treatment(Greenfield Venner, 2012). The programs should be equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to guide the participants to their future endeavors or self-sufficiency(Dufour et al., 2014). Also, counselors’failure to keep up with modern information to encourage the participant’schange of behavior could lead to relapse. Relapsing into drugs or alcohol abuse can occur even after long periods of sobriety (Greenfield Venn er, 2012).Therefore, the reason why it is critical for the counselors in this field to utilize the emerging knowledge to help participants who are drug addicts. Purpose of the Internship The internship period is to gain in-depth knowledge of mental health by acquiring new emerging information from the mentor,concerning people who have health impairments (Greenfield Venner, 2012). It will enable the intern to learn and take an active role in shaping individuals’ lives and assisting people and their families with mental problems. Emerging information is important in helping participants who have advanced mental problems to improve healthcare outcomes. He will learn basic counseling skills from the mentor as well as knowledge about ethical issues to be considered during the helping process (Wallace, Brown, Hilton, 2014).The learner wouldlearncurrent data to monitor the progress of a participant of the program using emerging methods of data collection.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Internship: Shadowing a Substance Abuse Counselor specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In addition, he would learn to understand the needs of participants and the possible causes of mental disabilities (Greenfield Venner, 2012). Review of Literature Risk for Substance Abuse Over the past two decades, researchers have tried to reveal the factors behind the beginning of substance abuse and the progression to addiction (Corte Szalacha, 2010). Main risk factors lead to the increase of a person’s chance to become abused. However, there are several protective factors that reduce personal risk. Main risk factors for substance abuse are different for every person and affect people at different stages of lives. The substance abuse counselors focus on the risk factors before initiating the counseling approaches (Corte Szalacha, 2010). In the case of children, risk factors include aggressive behavior, social difficult ies, or academic failure. The risks, such as aggressive behavior,can be controlled by helping children develop appropriate positive attitudes in life and prevent further risk. Other factors, such as poverty, peer influence, drug availability, and lack of parental supervision, mainly affect the youth. The more a person is predisposed to the risks, the higher are the chances of substance abuse. Ineffective parenting and a guardian who is involved in substance abuse increase the risk of children and adolescents to substance abuse. According to Gallagher (2014), the highest risk of substance abuse are adolescents. For this reason, the counselors focus on preventive interventions and support skills of enhancing protective factors of substance abuse (Gallagher, 2014). Clinical level of evidence-based There are several clinical evidence-based approaches applied to deal with substance abuse (Smith Liu, 2014). Several statewide initiatives of substance abuse treatment systems have been grow ing in the past decade as a result of movements towards evidence-based practice in health care systems.Advertising Looking for essay on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The importance of using the scientific clinical advances in intervention of clinical practices has been emphasized by many scholars. Several psychological evidence-based programs have been utilized in the approaches to substance abuse. Clinical expertise is important in the translation of scientific evidence-based approaches into practice that include the behavioral approaches and Pharmacotherapies. The health care providers are supposed to develop statements that assist them in identifying the appropriate intervention for the clinical circumstances (Corte Szalacha, 2010). The pharmacotherapy approaches include nicotine replacement therapies: application of drugs, such as bupropion, methadone, and naltrexone: and combination of drugs with behavioral treatment. Behavioral approaches focus on abstinence and modification of peoples’ behaviors as well as their attitudes about substance abuse. Additionally, they include cognitive behavior therapy, contingency management interventi ons, motivational enhancement, and community reinforcements (Gordon, 2013). The Effects on the Body Substance abuse has adverse effects on the body, such as mental health problems (Corte Szalacha, 2010).For instance, continuous abuse of cannabis results in mental health problems, such as schizophrenia. Substance abuse predisposes a person to diseases, such as asthma, heart diseases, and lung cancer. Cocaine is known to be over-stimulating, causing pregnancy complications, such as stillbirths and miscarriages. Also, substance abuse can expose a person to diseases, such as HIV, because of sharing of injecting devices. According to Gallagher (2014), the substances weaken the immune system, cause memory problems, and excessive dehydration (Gallagher, 2014). The Burden of Substance Abuse between Nations Substance abuse poses a significant threat to the health, economic and social status of the affected families, communities, and the countries (Smith Liu, 2014). In year 2000, substance a buse contributed to 12.4% of all deaths worldwide (Gallagher, 2014). The calculation of adjusted life years in Mexico and the United States indicated that the life lost because of premature mortality related to substance abuse is on the rise. The burden of the disease in disability-adjusted life years is high in the United Kingdom and the United States as compared to African and Mediterranean countries. Substance abuse has both economic and health effects on the nations affected. For instance, evidence-based prevention and treatment costs can save the U.S. government up to $10 in subsequent costs of every $1 spent (Gordon, 2013). The ones involved in the abuse cannot unleash their full potential in economic growth as the productivity is reduced. Productivity losses estimated at $ 120 billion, calculated as labor and non-participation, are significant in the United States. Similarly, studies have identified a 0.4 % loss in GDP in Canada as a result of non-labor participation because of substance abuse (Gordon, 2013). The situation is similar in Australia that experienced 0.3 % GDP loss (Gallagher, 2014). The Determinants of Health and Health Inequity The health of a person includes an individual’s well being physically, mentally, and emotionally (Regina Valeria, 2014). Several factors determine the health of a person. These include the genetics and physiology of a person, such as the sex and age. Individual behavior, such as substance abuse, plays a significant role in determining a person’s health. The social and physical environment as well as the interaction determines the health status of an individual as he or she is expose to several diseases causing factors, such as stress, discrimination, and overcrowding. Health inequity is mainly determined by infrastructure, health services, and policy formulations (Gordon, 2013). Discrimination in the access of health services affects the approaches to substance abuse because of health inequity. Acces s to quality health care minimizes the causes of health inequity in societies. The health policies formulated should take into consideration the disparities and variations in achievement of quality health care (Regina Valeria, 2014). Social and economic factors Social and economic factors have a significant influence on the substance abuse (Corte Szalacha, 2010). For instance, poverty and socioeconomic status of a family can make a person turn to substance abuse to find solace. It is a result of lack of basic human needs such, as food, shelter, education, and proper health care. The social structures and factors in the community play a significant role in substance abuse as they determine the peer influence. The familial and demographic factors are important predictors of substance abuse (Gordon, 2013). Besides, research studies have established a relationship between the parent socioeconomic status and substance abuse. Parents have a tremendous influence on their children to desis t or initiate substance abuse. Peer influence plays a great part as socialization can initiate substance abuse (Gordon, 2013). Physical and environmental factors Many people do not understand how others initiate substance abuse and addiction (Gordon, 2013). However, physical and environmental factors explain the situation. The environment in which a person lives has different influences on substance abuse. These include the access to drugs such as those living in urban areas and the general quality of life. The socioeconomic status of friends and families can either increase or limit access to these substances. Peer influence, bad parenting, physical or sexual violence and high level of stress influence the escalation of substance abuse. Similarly, the availability of drugs is the primary physical factor related to substance abuse. The development of the effective prevention strategies for the substance abuse counselors is based on the knowledge of the risk and protective factors (C orte Szalacha, 2010). Individual behaviors/characteristics Individual behaviors and characteristics of substance abuse determine the type of approach chosen by the counselor (Gallagher, 2014). The characteristics indicate the level of addiction and dependence. People who have already become addicted to different substances exhibit the characteristics of an overwhelming and repetitive urge to them. The substance abuse has become a part of their lives and a life’s priority. They experience problems in their wok or schools as their performances are low. Besides, irritability and confusion are common among the addicts (Gordon, 2013). The victims of substance abuse experience changes in their attitude and behavior because of mood swings and reduced inhibitions. They include suicidal behaviors and self-imposed isolation (Gordon, 2013). Strategies/Recommendations Prevention of substance abuse is dealt with by first recognizing the risk and protective factors. Counselors play a vital role in designing the strategies (Garner, 2009). The initial strategies are personal. They include helping the person deal with peer pressure. Teens and adolescents start substance abuse as a result of peer pressure. They should find a plan for resisting the pressure. Dealing with life pressures such as stress is an effective prevention strategy that helps a person to cope with life rather than turning to substance abuse. The counselors should help those seeking help for the people with mental problems that result from substance abuse. These include post-traumatic stress, Schizophrenia, anxiety, and depression. Before the initiation of behavioral or pharmacological therapies, it is necessary to the counselors to examine the risk factors. They include the social, environmental, and economic factors to give an overview of the problem and identify the appropriate therapies. The strategies undertaken depend on the level of addiction. There are several promising strategies to end substa nce abuse. These include: law enforcement, treatment, and prevention strategies. The prevention strategies comprise community-based processes, prevention education in learning institutions, as well as the environmental approaches that promote policies reducing the risk factors. The preventive measures should start early in life and proceed to adolescence (Corte Szalacha, 2010). Building of family bonds is essential in promoting responsible parenting. The treatment strategies include an emphasis on family-based treatment, rehabilitation of the addicts, and other programs according to the clinicians. Law enforcement is a crucial strategy for dealing with substance abuse and reducing the number of such cases. Introduction of tough penalties can deter adolescents and teenagers from engaging in substance abuse. Additionally, law enforcement includes the community policing to give insights of drug availability in the societies. Commitment and follow-up of the affected are essential to ach ieving the desired results of the programs (Garner, 2009). Methods and Procedures Method There is one method used in the writing of this paper. The method will be developmental. Procedures Sites Specifics Mentor The mentor is James Brown, MA, M.Ed, LCDC; he is an experienced Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor who helps clients who are referred to his Behavioral and Public Health Department, which helps participants globally. The mentor is also an instructor of a mental health program, and he utilizes effective skills to help people who are addicted and have become dependents. The counselor has 15 years of experience and has a Bachelor of Science in Public Relations, Bachelor of Science in Government, Master of Arts in Counseling and a Master of Education Degree. The mentor has good communication skills and creates a good rapport with clients. He dresses modestly, speaks fluently, and sits in an upright posture during counseling sessions. Facility The facility is named Legacy Ser vices. The department has other workers who work in collaboration with the mentor, but in different departments. Population served Behavioral and Public Health Department serves people of different ages whose behaviors have been affected by drugs and have experienced difficulties in coping with the demands of life. It is notable that young adults and adults are the most affected. With regard to the population that the intern would be handling in this department, he would be helping the trainer to offer services to about 200 persons in a day. The participants would be alcoholics and persons who abuse other drugs and who would not able to cope without them (Carroll, De Leon, Joseph, Winick, 2013). The intern would coordinate with his mentor to monitor the progress of participants. Internship objectives Specifically, the intern want to learn how to understand substance abuse group and individual sessions in a therapy and counseling setting or environment. The learning objectives inclu de the following: The intern will learn to identify signs and symptoms that are associated with mental problems. The intern will learn to identify the challenges in participants’ daily lives, such as addressing boundaries, anger management, denial, minimization and blame. The intern will learn to identify the fourethical dilemmas related to substance abuse counselling, such as beneficence, do no harm; autonomy, independent living, give the participant the benefit of the doubt; justice, fair and equal treatment, and fidelity, keep promises to participants. The intern will learn how to identify participants’ detoxification needs such as signs and symptoms of withdrawal, screening and evaluation during intake process. Schedule of activities Internship activities are scheduled to take place from November 3, 2014 to January 7, 2015.Also, allactivities will be used to facilitate the learning of the objectives. Table 1 Schedule of Activities Week Activity Hours 1 The i ntern would participated in various group sessions as part of orientation to counseling. Introduction to basic emerging counseling skills was achieved during this period. 8 2 The intern shadowed the mentor on intensive outpatient sessions using 12-step and clinical modalities treatment to bring about a positive change in the participants life. 8 3 The intern shadowed the mentor and observe emerging individual counseling boundaries or taking notes of the daily sessions. 8 4 The intern shadowed the mentor on how to identify diagnosis classification and the type of mental issues a participant would report during intake process. 8 5 The intern participated in treatment preparation and conceptualization. 8 6 The intern shadowed the mentor on this day by carrying out research by utilizing modern methods of peer-reviewed research from the State website. This information was used to better educate the participants of new techniques. 8 7 The intern listened to the mentor educate him about the types of addictions, how addictions occur, and how to deal with addiction. The mentor educated two separate groups of participants. 8 8 The intern participated in crisis intervention and primary care integration. 8 9 The intern attended seminars learning about emerging issues in mental health. 8 10 The intern shadowed the mentor while he collaborated meetings with multi-disciplinary staff. 8 Total hours 80 Learning benefit The learning benefit that the intern will be expected to receive during this mentor internship experience on addiction and substance abuse counseling was important because of the need to learn the challenging face-to-face counseling group’stechniques, crisis intervention supports and tools that would enable the intern to build on counseling skills. The intern believe these skills would helpwith the progress from a simpler and immature phase to a more complex level of maturity about addiction. Current employment The intern is employ ed as a Health Crisis Coordinator and coordinates many programs, for example, behavioral and public health, injury and disability, vocational and employment services. Most of his assignments are conducted domestically; however, he does travel to London from time to time. In addition to a Bachelor of Science in Education and Master of Arts in Education degree. Also, he holds a Post-Specialty Certificate in Emergency Management and Post-Master’s Certificate in Professional Counseling. Search procedure Libraries used There was only one library used to search for sources for this project. The Counseling Professions Division Library at Southern Mills University and Google Scholarwas used for the project. Search engines and databases used The following databases were used to search for the sources for this project. The databases werePubMed and PsycINFO and MEDline (EBSCO) and Global Health and Alt Health Watch and MEDLINE (Ovid). Search terms Several search terms were used to ident ify sources for this project. The search terms included (a) Behavioral Health, (b) Substance Abuse,(c) Behavioral Therapy, (d) Public Health, (e) Behavioral Treatment, and (f) Alcoholism. Boolean strings Boolean strings were considered for the literature search. No Boolean strings were used in the literature search. Age of the sources The significant literature will be reviewed. Sources from the last 5 years will be considered for inclusion in the review of literature. No historical or seminal articles will be considered. Inclusion criteria There were four inclusion criteria. Inclusion criteria included (a) literature published since 2010, (b) English-language text, (c) peer-reviewed articles, and (d) Web sites relating to shadowing a substance abuse counselor. Exclusion criteria There were fourexclusion criteria.The exclusion criteria included (a) literature published before 2010,(b) text not published in English, (c) articles not peer reviewed, and (d) Web sites not relating to sh adowing a substance abuse counselor. Results Introduction The internship is a highly valuable experience for the intern who wants to improve his/her skills and knowledge in the sphere of drug abuse and mental health That is why, it is vital for him/her to choose the right institution which can guarantee his/her further development as a professional. Resting on this fact, it can be recommended to draw an interns attention to the Legacy Services. The Legacy Services is a company which promotes development of knowledge and awareness of the issue of substance abuse among interns. Being very efficient and credible company, it can guarantee high level of its services and professionalism of its workers. However, having its main strengths it also has its weak sides. That is why, it is important to investigate the company precisely to determine the main aspects of its work to understand better the main regularities according to which it functions. Analysis of Strengths, Weaknesses, opportuni ties, and Threats Strengths The first strength of Legacy Services is a highly reputable company that provides quality services. Its reputation in terms of the provision of superior substance abuse counseling services elevates its credibility in enabling an intern to obtain the set of objectives. The organization also has qualified staff members who act as its strength in the provision of services. Secondly, the organization upholds integrity at all its levels of operation. Thirdly, there are adequate resources that include training kits, office space, finance, working incentives among others that aid service delivery. Weaknesses Although clear strengths of the organization have been identified, it is, however, difficult for identification of weaknesses to be indicated at this time. The weaknesses are always identified when an experience has already been achieved either positive or negative. Therefore, it is prudent for the weaknesses to be enumerated later because of more time is ne eded. Opportunities The underlying opportunities why the intern selected the institution are based on its capacity to expand its customer base, counseling services and revenue base. The organization is promising based on its strategic plans that are formulated already. In particular, the expected customer growth rate makes the organization so attractive for interns who expect to offer services to some of the customers. Increase revenue amounts or financial capacity of the company may also help in hiring some of the interns hence its preference. Likewise, the advancement of counseling services indicates a wider knowledge on counseling matters that is noble for interns. Threats Probable threats the organization has the potential of facing that may impede the realization of the set objectives of an intern including high enrolment rate, lack of divergent funding sources and competition. In particular, people enroll for the internship position in the organization more than it can accommo date. This makes it difficult for prospecting interns to be sure of getting the privilege of working there. Secondly, the company faces stiff competition from other rival institutions that focus on providing counselling services. The high rate of competition may affect its reputation and stature in the society. The institution also has limited sources of funding that may affect its capacity of accommodating more interns who aspire to acquire experience. Based on the institution’s SWOT analysis, it is evident that it holds the capacity of ensuring that the intern receives best results. The choice is good for intern in a broader perspective given that its strengths and opportunities outweigh its weaknesses and threats. Discussion During the internship, interns are able to observe the way seasoned counselors work and the way clients respond to the treatment. This internship can be seen as one of such experiences. The intern was fully integrated in the process. Thus, he participa ted in numerous sessions where he could note peculiarities of behavior of the mentor and clients, strategies employed during the sessions, the way clients respond to this or that strategy. The intern could also trace possible signs of clients’ potential relapse. The intern took part in meetings with multi-disciplinary staff and this was a very important experience. Cooperation with different professionals enabled the counselor to provide high-quality services to clients and make sure their needs could be met. Importantly, the intern had an opportunity to collaborate with mentor and develop some treatment strategies. This was a remarkable experience as the intern obtained many insights from his mentor during development of the strategies. Admittedly, it is impossible to gain such experience through reading books and articles. The intern obtained an opportunity to observe quite conventional as well as extraordinary cases as all people are different and they often face quite dif ferent challenges. The intern could feel the specific atmosphere, which is created during sessions. These observations and shadowing enabled the intern to get certain confidence, which will be crucial for his future career. Conclusions Having analyzed the data, it is possible to make certain conclusions. The issue of substance abuse counseling is very important nowadays within the framework of the increase of level of abuse among people. That is why, the need in professionals who can provide qualified advice for a person who suffers from the substance abuse is obvious. With this in mind, some patterns for preparation of qualified interns should be suggested. Taking into account complexity and topicality of the issue, the analysis of the methodology and main objectives of internship was also provided. Moreover, the importance of practice for internship should also be mentioned as it allows an intern to obtain knowledge which is not available in books or some other sources. Great sign ificance of the process of teaching and preparation of interns should also be remembered. Implications It is obvious, that the main ideas presented in the work should be adopted as it can promote improvement of the situation connected with the issue of substance abuse. Implication of the main points mentioned in the work can guarantee further development of knowledge in this sphere. Moreover, the issue of training of the professionals who are ready to consult people who suffer from substance abuse can become very helpful in terms of blistering growth of this kind of dependence. Main methods outlined in the work can also be applied to the process of training of new interns as they will allow increase of the level of efficiency of interns and general improvement of the situation. With this in mind, the data presented should be studied and taken into account in order to provide better understanding of the issue. Recommendations Having analyzed the issue, it is possible to make several recommendations. First of all, it is necessary to say that the change of the existing system of internship is needed. The emphasis should be made on practice as only it can allow better knowledge and practical skills among interns. Moreover, some new methods should be applied to existing system for it to be more modern. However, there is one more recommendation. It goes without saying, that the further investigation of this issue is necessary. Within the framework of the increase of number of people who suffer from substance abuse, it is very important to investigate different methods to prevent it. Taking this fact into account, it is possible to say that internship which allows students to obtain practical knowledge can serve as the first stage in better understanding of the problem of substance abuse. References Babinski, D. E., Pelham, W. E., Waxmonsky, J. G. (2013). Cognitive-behavioral therapy for pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder complicated by stigma: A case study.   Clinical Case Studies, 15(34), 65-77. Carroll, J. F., De Leon, G., Joseph, H., Winick, C. (2013). Reflections on the past, present, and the future of the chemical dependency treatment field: Four unique perspectives.  Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly, 31(1), 107-120. Corte, C., Szalacha, L. (2010). Self-cognitions, risk factors for alcohol problems, and drinking in preadolescent urban youths. Journal of Child Adolescent Substance Abuse, 19(5), 406-423. Dufour, S. P., Graham, S., Friesen, J., Rosenblat, M., Rous, C.,Richardson, J. (2014). Physiotherapists supporting self-management through health coaching: A mixed methods program evaluation. Physiotherapy Theory and Practice, 10(1), 1-10. Gallagher, S. (2014). Treatment strategies for forensic psychologists working with clients dealing with substance abuse, legal charges, and enabling parents. Journal of Forensic Psychology Practice, 14(2), 158-168. Gordon, A. (2013). Substance abuse journal: New beginnings. Substance Abuse, 34(4), 339-341. Regina, C., Valeria, M. (2014). Social determinants of health and inequity among people with disabilities: A Brazilian experience. Journal of Public Health and Epidemiology, 6(11), 326-337. Smith, B., Liu, J. (2014). Latent practice profiles of substance abuse treatment counselors: Do evidence-based techniques displace traditional techniques? Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 46(4), 439-446. Wallace, L. M., Brown, K. E., Hilton, S. (2014). Planning for, implementing and assessing the impactof health promotion and behavior change interventions: Away forward for health psychologists. Health Psychology Review, 8(1), 8-33.