Alcohol

What would happen If the drinking age were lowered for those In the military? Xx xx English 123 Mrs.. Xix 20 Par XX Military Drinking Age 1 What would happen If the drinking age were lowered for those In the military? When I started this paper, I didn’t want my own views to sway my opinion on this question. The more I researched, the more I had even my own views expanded. I wanted to know what military people thought about this topic, what civilians thought and even President Obama. I wanted to explore why age 21 was chosen and when the age was lowered and then raised again and why.

For many people In the military I am sure have a different stance on this than clansman or maybe not, but this Is why I researched the information that I did. The first thing that I typed in my Google search engine box was, “Should the drinking age be lowered for the military? ‘ I found that President elect Obama in 2008, sympathized with Army veteran Ernest Johnson about serving his country at age 18, but not being able to come home and have a beer, but that setting the legal drinking age at 21, helped reduce the amount of drunken driving Incidents and that it should remain. Military_com. 008). This peeked my curiosity and I wondered If most law makers felt the same. New Hampshire State representative, James Explains, D-Portsmouth said that it would be hypocritical to have people make life and death decisions in Iraq, but not be able to have a drink in New Hampshire. (Shank, 2005). Both men appreciate the fact that these people help in guarding and serving our country, but both had very deferent opinions on whether it should be lowered. So I wanted to get more points of view on this matter.

I found that Jason Gibbs, the spokesperson for the Governor of Vermont, Jim Douglas had the same stance as D-Portsmouth. Gibbs said, “Philosophically, it’s difficult to reconcile the notion that you can enlist in the military, serve your country, go to war, but not go into your local pub and get a draft beer. ” Gibbs went on to say, “Even Gob. Jim Douglas, a republican, might see some logic in the proposal if the federal highway money was not Involved. ” (Bullock, 2005). Why would federal highway money be Involved? It didn’t make sense to me, so I wanted to explore that further.

When I searched for federal highway money, I came upon the National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984 (AMANDA). This Act required all states to raise their minimum purchase and public possession of alcohol to age 21 . States that did not comply faced a reduction in highway funds, under the Federal Highway Act. (Hanson, n. D). So this brings me back to one of my original questions, why was the age 21 chosen? I found that becoming a full adult at age 21 dates back to English common law. (Rice, 2 IT Military Drinking Age the age was set at 21 in 1984, when before was it 18 and why was it 18?

President Franklin Roosevelt lowered the draft age from 21 to 18 during World War II, eventually during the Vietnam era, people were upset that they were old enough to enlist in the forces, but now old enough to vote, so in 1971 they applied that same logic to drinking and lowered the age to 18. (Tree, 2008). Why would they want to change the age back to 21, I wonder? Apparently, certain states had stricter rules and teens would drive to other states that had less off strict drinking rule, drink and drive back and depending where they lived, the further out they were, the more probable it was for an alcohol related incident. (Tree, 2008).

So Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MAD) fought to have the drinking age back to 21 and that’s when the AMANDA was set forth in 1984. (Tree, 2008). Now that I had all the dates figured out and who prompted the changes, I wanted to see if changing the drinking age actually had an effect on decreasing alcohol related incidents. I found that statistically in 1984, that alcohol related fatalities made up for 54% of all fatalities and 23 years later, in 2007, only 37% of alcohol related fatalities made up for all fatalities. (Alert. Com, 2006). So again, back to one of my original thoughts, I wanted to see opinions from a litany stand point.

I came upon some writings from Air Force Colonel Celebrities, who wrote that Junior enlisted, ages 18-24 made up 1/3 of the Air Force and accounted for 81% of the alcohol related incidents. He said that on average, the Air Force has about 5,300 alcohol related incidents annually, so that means 4,293 of those incidents basically belonged to the Junior enlisted. Cool. Celebrities said that the military message, “Work hard, Play hard,” was sending the wrong message. (Slouchier, 2007). After a long day of work, you go out and play hard, what better of way, than to drink and relax, but there are other ways of relaxing than drinking.

As I was concluding my research, still not yet satisfied with my results, I found a website that was written by Jim Hall, from the National Transportation Board, who had all these statistics that stated how alcohol related fatalities had gone down, alcohol related suicides reduced and the number of DEW Military Drinking Age 3 arrests had decreased since raising the age of drinking to 21 . He later stated that the younger a person starts drinking, the greater the chance of that person develops alcohol dependency and or abuses alcohol. Hall, n. D).

Last year, over “1000 schoolchildren were suspended, excluded or expelled from New Zealand schools last year for drugs or alcohol-related offences, with the youngest aged 8” (Stuff, 2013). The Ministry of Education released figures showing that one In ten children who had action taken against them in relation to substances in the year 2012, was under 12 years of age (Stuff, 2013). The Education Amendment Act has come under scrutiny as It priorities the right to privacy of students.

Effectively It means that schools would lose their authority to search and seize narcotics and conduct random drug tests. This, many educationalists argue, would worsen the problem. The ethical Issue that arises In this case amongst others Is whether schools should continue to retain their search and seizure powers or should the privacy of the students be given priority as per the Education Amendment Bill. Another key issue that is begging resolution is the dilemma of whether or not, children found in possession of drugs and alcohol, should be expelled or excluded.

Is expulsion of a child found In possession of narcotics in the best Interests of society and the child In question? It is important to also mention that since most of the children procured the absences from a knowing or unknowing adult, should the adult be vicariously responsible for the child take responsibility and face the consequences Instead of letting the child take the fall? Is It not the responsibility of the parent to ensure that children stay away from vices until they are old enough to judge for themselves?

Due 1 OFF expulsion and attempt to provide some insight into whether or not it is the best course of action to employ. Thomas Hobbes (1651) proposed the idea that “in order to flourish, we need a peaceful, cooperative social order” (Reaches & Reaches, 2010, p. 0). Hobbes goes on to say that if there were no institutions to enforce order, we would be free to do whatever we wanted. This would eventually lead to a state of perpetual chaos. He has called this state of chaos “the state of nature” and it’s opposite “civil state” (Reaches & Reaches, 2010).

This means that in order to live harmoniously, we must abide by a set of rules that are accepted by everyone and applies to everyone equally. Hobbes was of the opinion that the four basic facts about human life were the reason for the existence of this social contract. He theorized firstly, that each of us requires the same basic things in order to survive, secondly, scarcity is omnipresent and we need to work hard to produce the things we need. Third on the list is the equality of human power (united we stand, divided we fall).

Finally, there is limited altruism, which implies that we cannot assume that others will stand down when their interests conflict with ours. Since we do not learn the accepted rules of society on our own, we have schoolteachers and parents who amongst other things teach us how to behave in a socially acceptable manner. School helps us learn to build and maintain relationships. Most importantly attending school empowers us with knowledge to survive in the real world. Take school out of the equation and that leaves Just parents.

Now consider the case of a young child who has gotten himself expelled for being curious about his parent’s secret drug stash. Unable to attend school, he might not realize the difference between a Joke and a crime because he is unaware of right and wrong, socially acceptable and unacceptable. He may develop an insecurity employ as he probably feels helpless and is shunned by his parents. These factors might lead him to become a criminal or worse, a drug addict. It is quite obvious that criminals and drug addicts are anti-social elements that need to be removed from the setting.

It is safe to say that not all criminals are school dropouts however, most addicted to drugs haven’t been educated about the consequences of substance abuse and are helplessly addicted. The Social Contract Theory maintains that we need a social order in order to flourish. The only way to eliminate most of anti-social elements is to ensure that kids found in possession of drugs or alcohol remain in school to learn how to behave appropriately, and eventually grow up to become conscientious and responsible adults.

The theory of Utilitarianism as stated by Reaches & Reaches (2010) encompasses three categories. Firstly, actions can be Judged to be right or wrong depending on the consequences it brings about. Secondly, in terms of examining consequences, all that matters is the amount of happiness or unhappiness the action in question creates; person is more important than the other. This means that actions should be Judged as right or wrong depending on the amount of happiness or unhappiness everyone experiences as a consequence.

Thus a deduction can be made that Utilitarian are essentially consequentialness, as they determine the ethical value based on an answer to the question “what would happen as a result of doing it? ” (Reaches & Reaches, 2010, p. 111). Utilitarianism is divided into two categories namely, Act and Rule Utilitarianism. Act Utilitarian believe that an action must be Judged by the consequences it causes (Reaches & Reaches, 2010, p. 22). Rule Utilitarian believe that an action must be Judged on the consequence of the action becoming the norm that everyone lived by (Reaches & Reaches, 2010, p. 18-119). Therefore it can be said that Utilitarianism Judges actions based on whether they yield the best consequences and happiness for everyone or not. Upon application of the Utilitarian approach to the issue of expulsion, the action of excluding children who are found in possession of narcotics or alcohol would produce two possible consequences. Firstly, because the child has been expelled, he ay lose interest in studying altogether. It is a proven fact that schools provide a protective environment that shields people from drug abuse (Bell, 2013).

If they are unable to stay in that protected environment before entering the proverbial ‘real world’ there is a chance that they may be negatively influenced and resort to a life of crime, drug abuse and other anti-social behavior. The second consequence of one child caught in possession of drugs being expelled could serve as an example to the other children. This might cause them to refrain from coming in contact with drugs earning punishment.

Although the second consequence appears to be feasible, as many children would benefit from one child being expelled and being made an example of, it is not guaranteed that other children will not indulge in drugs and alcohol outside school. Also, going by Rule Utilitarianism, if expelling children became the norm, crime, unemployment and illiteracy rates would rise and this in turn would affect the entire nation negatively. Therefore, Act and Rule Utilitarian would agree that expelling children found in possession of narcotics would be very unethical, as it loud cause much more unhappiness than happiness.

Also, since Utilitarian believe that everyone’s happiness is equal, and that motives and intentions don’t matter, causing unhappiness to one child and to the general population in the long run by expelling him from school is something they would advocate against. In conclusion, I have explored the idea of a Social Contract and the Utilitarian approach in terms of the case to determine whether or not expelling children found to be in possession of narcotics or alcohol is ethical. Taking into consideration the

Social Contract, and the possible consequences of Act and Rule based Utilitarianism I have deduced that expulsion or exclusion from school is not the best course of action. In order to suit everyone’s interests, it is crucial that the kids remain in school where they have the opportunity to learn about narcotics and socially acceptable behavior in a controlled and protected environment. After all, they are children, unable to distinguish between right and wrong, and in this case, it is imperative that Children are the future of any country and it is our moral duty to ensure that all sections we take have their best interests at heart.

Underage drinking, now more than ever, is a big problem us the US. In our society today, underage drinking is expressed as cool, or a way to have fun. Some causes of underage drinking are the media and peer pressure. There are also many negative effects of underage drinking such as health risks like alcohol poisoning. Media plays a big role in this risk. Just watching television you see commercials for beer or other alcoholic beverages. The media makes It look like fun all the time, and Like nothing bad can come from drinking.

They make It very appealing to a teenager’s ye. The commercials do not show you the man who lost everything to his alcoholism, or the guy who had one too many drinks and spent the night hugging the toilet. I feel that alcohol Industries are targeting youth and will do Just about anything to get business. Peer pressure also plays a big role In underage drinking. The most Important thing In the life of a teenager Is to “FLT In”. Teenagers are almost expected to drink before they are 21 these days. If they don’t, they could easily be the outcast of their social circle and be made fun of.

Most of the parents don’t punish their underage hillier for drinking because they did the same things when they were in high school. This can lead to teens thinking that it is an acceptable lifestyle to live. There are many negative effects of underage drinking. Not only is it illegal, there are many risks that can come from underage drinking. If you start drinking at a young age, there is a better chance that you are going to get hooked and be come and alcoholic later on in life. Drinking too much or too soon can hurt others, get you in legal trouble, and damage your relationships.

In conclusion, there are several causes and effects of underage drinking. Media and peer pressure are two of the main causes. Teenagers use media in their everyday lives. Television is one example of media that makes alcohol appealing to young people. Peer pressure is also a cause of drinking under the age of 21 . The last thing a teenager wants is to be made fun of, and if that means they have to drinks few beers to keep that from happening then that’s what they’re going to do! There are also many negative effects of underage drinking such and alcoholism, and other health risks.

Alcohol Advertising and Youth Jessica SOC1001: Introduction to Sociology December 18, 2011 Alcohol Advertising and Youth Researchers are investigating alcohol advertisement and youth in today’s society because advertising is leading to positive beliefs about alcohol causing drinking to increase. This is a problem that needs serious attention and needs to be dealt with. National as well as state-level longitudinal studies in the United States have found that exposure to alcohol advertising in various venues – including broadcast, print, outdoor, point-ofpurchase and sporting events – can predict onset of drinking and heavier drinking among young people (Jernigan, Ostroff and Ross, 2005) Camy’s (2005) analyses rely on statistical sources and measurement concepts standard to the advertising media planning and research field, but to our knowledge rarely accessed by public health researchers.

They are based on the merging of two sets of commercially available databases: occurrence tracking (for brand advertising) and audience estimates (for various demographic groups). (Jernigan, 2005) The data are calculated at the local market and national levels and are reported using the advertising industry standard measures of audience composition, gross impressions, and gross rating points. (Jernigan, 2005) In the journal, it states two compositions: Audience and magazines.

Audience composition refers to the percentage of the audience that meets different demographic criteria. For instance, young people ages 12-20 are approximately 15% of US population aged 12 and above. (Jernigan, 2005) A magazine audience composition of more than 15% 1220-year-olds will be likely to create the situation where youth are more likely per capita to see the magazine than adults over 21 years, the legal drinking age in the United States.

In analyzing magazine advertising alcoholic beverages in 2003, Camy found that young people aged 12-20 were exposed per capita to 48% more beer ads, 20% more distilled spirits ads, 92% more ads for “alcopops” and alcoholic lemonades such as Bacardi Silver and Smirnoff Ice, and 66% fewer wine ads than adults 21 and above (most likely because wine markets tend to appeal more to older adults) (Jernigan, 2005) Magazine advertisement was analyzed by gender. This analysis revealed that girls were far more overexposed compared to women of legal drinking age than boys were when compared to men of legal drinking age. Jernigan, 2005) Girls saw 68% more beer ads and 95% more ads for alcopops per capita than women, while boys saw 29% more beer ads and 37% more alcopops ads than men (Jernigan, 2005) Television – particularly national broadcast – offers advertisers less precision with which to reach their desired audiences than either magazines or radio. (Jernigan, 2005) Between 2001 and 2003, alcohol companies broadcast 761,347 product ads on US national and local broadcast and national cable television. Jernigan, 2005) On the internet, traffic to 55 alcohol company websites was tracked for CAMY. Many of these sites feature content such as video games, free music downloads or music videos, alcohol-themed sexy screensavers, and viral marketing. (Jernigan, 2005) In the last six months of 2003, the season of heaviest alcohol advertising (Jernigan, 2005). It is hard to think of a good solution because the advertising in going to be revealed and I believe that teens will view them because it is something “interesting”.

A lot of youth view it as being a cool thing to see and advertising is going to be out there for all to see, read or hear. There could be a lot of solutions to try, but would any stick? That is the question. Personally, advertising is a terrible issue that really needs to be looked into deeply and taking very seriously because it is causing more harm every day. References Jernigan, David H. , Joshua Ostroff, and Craig Ross. “Alcohol Advertising and Youth. ” Journal of Public Health Policy 23. 3 (2005): 312-25. Web. 19 Dec. 2011.

Lowering Drinking Age The United States should lower the drinking age from twenty one to eighteen, since people are allowed to smoke, vote, and join the selective service at this age. Young teens are already smoking, which can cause more harm than drinking. Voting rights are only allowed for mature adults; if they are able to vote, they should be allowed to drink. By joining the selective service they are putting their lives at risk to defend the country. Being able to drink should be awarded for them risking their own lives just to save others. First, they can smoke cigarettes at age eighteen, and cigarettes are just as bad as drinking.

Both of these things can cause problems towards someone’s health. Smoking and alcohol both can damage the liver, and cause heart diseases. If anything, they shouldn’t let people with bad health smoke or drink, rather than the factor being age. The health of someone is more important more than their age. Someone may be twenty one with a lung disease that didn’t come from smoking, but if they smoke it’s only going to get worst. On the other hand, if someone is eighteen, and they have no health problems at all, they should be able to smoke if they want to even though they may gain personal health problems.

If they do, then that’s when they should stop smoking and get treatment. Basically, people with good health should be able to smoke or drink, but if they develop any type of health issues, they should see a doctor or stop immediately if it gets bad. Second, the United States will let us vote, but refuse to let us drink at our own risk. People at the age of eighteen should have the same privileges as people who are twenty-one or older, they are both adults. If the drinking age were changed to 18, colleges would be able to regulate alcohol use, so students would not become overly intoxicated, just like colleges have rules for smoking.

Since most students who are eighteen drink already, they may get ecstatic if drinking was allowed and actually follow the rules. Lastly, Joining the selective service is a serious job that takes a lot of responsibility and maturity. If someone can have a serious job like that, they should be mature enough to drink alcohol. Age should not matter when it comes to drinking, some people who are twenty one years or older act like their the teenagers sometimes. They may drink just for the fun of it or abuse drinking alcohol, so why should it matter how old someone is.

Adults should be able to make their own choices. Students who are sixteen years of age can decided to drop out of high school, people at age eighteen can smoke, citizens are able to join the selective service, but people can’t drink until age twenty one. What kind of sense does that make? If people that are eighteen have an option of attending college, how come they cant decide if they want to drink. A person who is twenty-one or eighteen are both considered adults. Age doesn’t make a difference. Basic Writing 4-4:50 Professor Watson 11/21/11

Alcohol and Illicit Drug Abuse in Pregnancy Amy Luman COM/220 February 10, 2010 Philip Fasso When a woman becomes pregnant, it is vital to her baby’s health that she leads a healthy life. This includes eating plenty of nourishing food, fulfilling an adequate amount of rest, and exercising regularly. For a pregnant woman, pregnancy substance abuse is twice as dangerous. First, drugs may harm her own health, which interferes with her ability to support the pregnancy. Second, some drugs can directly impair prenatal development. During pregnancy, virtually all illegal drugs pose a danger.

Even legal substances, such as alcohol, tobacco, and prescription drugs are dangerous to expecting women. As many as one in 10 babies may be born to women who use illegal and prescription drugs during their pregnancies. While some prescription drugs may be necessary during pregnancy, alcohol consumption and illicit drug abuse is frightfully dangerous during pregnancy, and therefore pregnant women should value their value their babies and never misuse them. Healthy Lifestyle Pregnancy should be taken seriously and one should implement a healthy lifestyle to keep them and their unborn child safe.

A pregnant woman’s lifestyle habits as well as her partner’s can gravely affect the health of their unborn baby. If the couple has already taken these precautions into action, it is encouraged and should be continued throughout the entire pregnancy. It is never too late for a pregnant woman to start thinking about making behavior changes, which in turn are good for her unborn child. Staying active during pregnancy is one stride closer to bearing a healthy child. Being active during pregnancy can have only positive effects on the expecting mother, with her feeling better and developing more energy.

Physical activity can also help maintain muscle tone and strength for labor and birth. A great deal of benefits can come to a woman and her unborn by lightly exercising on a selected number of days a week. There are many types of physical activity and exercise, ranging from mild stretching to aerobic exercise. If an expecting mother is already involved in daily physical activities, there is no need for her to stop. If not, it is a good time for her to start doing something on a regular basis. Daily activities like walking up stairs, cleaning the house, and gardening are also good ways to keep active (Childbirth Connection, 2010).

Making exercise an essential part of the day will in the end, only make a happy ending for both mother and her unborn. Being a healthy body weight is important before pregnancy. So eating a well balanced diet throughout pregnancy is very important to the health of oneself and child. Almost all pregnant women need to increase their intake of protein, certain vitamins and minerals such as folic acid and iron, and calories (for energy). Women who eat well and avoid known risks tend to have fewer complications during pregnancy and labor and are more likely to deliver larger, healthier babies.

Eating a well-balanced diet, high in nutrients, is one of the most important things a woman can do to ensure the future health of both her and her baby (Isenberg, 2000-2009). Fetuses born to mothers who have unhealthy diets may be premature or have other problems at birth. In addition, recent research indicates that what a mother eats during the early months of pregnancy may determine her unborn child’s predisposition to certain diseases, such as diabetes and cancer. Eating a balanced diet during pregnancy can help to protect the health of both mother and baby.

During pregnancy, a woman needs more of some nutrients, such as iron, calcium, and folic acid. For this reason, it is wise to start taking a multivitamin before pregnancy. Vitamins should be an essential part of every mother’s diet and daily routine when expecting. Prescribed multivitamins by one’s health care provider are very important to give the proper nutrients and prenatal care that an unborn child or fetus needs. It is proven that multivitamins, taken before one conceives, have a positive effect on the fetus’s chances of having birth defects.

Although many drugs can potentially harm a pregnant woman’s fetus, some drugs are necessary for the wellbeing of both the woman and her fetus. Before making the decision to take any drug, whether it is prescription, over-the-counter, or a medicinal herb, a woman should always discuss both the hazards and advantages of the drug with her doctor to ensure the safety of both her and the fetus. A practitioner may suggest that a woman take certain vitamins and minerals during pregnancy (Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation, 2009). Alcohol

Any type of alcoholic beverage can have many hazardous effects on the developing fetus. Consuming alcohol during pregnancy can cause a wide-range of physical and mental birth defects. When a pregnant woman drinks, alcohol passes through the placenta to her fetus. In the fetus’s immature body, alcohol is broken down much more slowly than in an adult’s body. As a result, the alcohol level of the baby’s blood can be higher and remain elevated longer than the level in the mother’s blood. This sometimes causes the baby to suffer lifelong damage. Recent government surveys indicate that about 1 in 12 pregnant women drink during pregnancy and about 1 in 30 pregnant women report binge drinking” (March of Dimes Foundation, 2010, p. 3). FAS or otherwise known as feta alcohol syndrome is a dangerous condition that occurs when a fetus has been exposed to excessive amounts of alcohol prenatally. One of the most common defects is facial abnormalities, although other defects may have greater consequences on the individual’s health. These defects occur as a result of exposure to alcohol while in the uterus.

An estimated one in 500 to one in 2,000 babies are born with FAS (Ladue, 2001). The common facial abnormalities of FAS include: short eye-slit fissures; a long, smooth upper lip groove; and a thin upper lip. The following picture represents a small child with these facial abnormalities. [pic] Other common physical problems include heart malformations and defects; a hollow at the lower part of the chest; permanent curving of one or more fingers; fusion of bones at the elbow; scoliosis; kidney malformations; and cleft lip and palate (abnormal openings in the lips or roof of the mouth).

FAS affects children’s height, weight, and head circumference. Many children with FAS are short and thin prior to puberty. As girls enter puberty, they remain short, but frequently gain weight and appear plump. Boys seem to remain fairly short and slender. So far, there has been no cure identified for FAS, but several treatment models are available. For the reason that CNS damage, symptoms, secondary disabilities, and requirements differ extensively there is no one treatment that works for everyone (Wikipedia, 2009).

Although many women are aware that heavy drinking during pregnancy can cause birth defects, many do not realize that moderate or even light drinking also may harm the fetus. In fact, no level of alcohol use during pregnancy is safe. Therefore, pregnant women should by no means drink any alcohol, including beer, wine, wine coolers and liquor, throughout their pregnancy and while nursing. Also because women often do not know they are pregnant for a few months, women who may be pregnant or those who are attempting to become pregnant should not drink alcohol.

Illicit Drug Use It should be obvious that Illicit and other prescription drugs are extremely harmful to the developing fetus, but disappointingly substance abuse continues to be a problem worldwide and drug abuse in pregnancy is no longer uncommon. Nearly four percent of pregnant women in the United States use illicit drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, ecstasy, and other amphetamines, and heroin and virtually 90% of women who abuse drugs are of childbearing age and consequently substance abuse in pregnancy is increasing (Ludlow, Christmas, Paech, & Orr, 2007).

These and other illicit drugs may cause various risks for pregnant women and their babies. Some of these drugs can cause a baby to be born too small or too soon, or to have withdrawal symptoms, birth defects, or learning and behavioral problems. Tolerance and addiction to drugs and alcohol in pregnancy creates many potential problems for the mother, her fetus, and the obstetricians, anesthetists, pain specialists, drug, and alcohol specialists and neonatologists involved in her care. Pregnant women who use these drugs may also engage in other unhealthy behaviors that place their pregnancy at risks.

Women who use heroin during pregnancy greatly increase their risks of serious pregnancy complications. These risks include poor fetal growth, premature rupture of the membranes (the bag of waters that holds the fetus breaks too soon), premature birth and stillbirth. As many as half of all babies of heroin users are born with low birth weight, use of heroin in pregnancy may increase the risk of a variety of birth defects. Most babies of heroin users show withdrawal symptoms during the first three days after birth, including fever, sneezing, trembling, irritability, diarrhea, vomiting, continual crying, and seizures.

While heroin is usually sniffed, snorted or smoked, most users inject the drug into a muscle or vein. Pregnant women who share needles are at risk of contracting HIV and the hepatitis C virus. Such infections are capable of being passed on to the infant during pregnancy or at birth. Between 20 and 40 million Americans have used cocaine and five to six million are regular users. One million women of child-bearing age use cocaine (Blatt, Meguid, & Church, 2000). Cocaine use during pregnancy can affect a pregnant woman and her baby in many ways.

During the early months of pregnancy, cocaine may increase the risk of miscarriage. Later in pregnancy, it may trigger preterm labor or cause the baby to grow poorly. As a result, cocaine-exposed babies are more likely than unexposed babies to be born prematurely and with low birth weight. Premature and low-birth weight babies are at increased risk of health problems during the newborn period, lasting disabilities such as mental retardation and cerebral palsy, and even death. Cocaine-exposed babies also tend to have smaller heads, which generally reflect smaller brains and an increased risk of learning problems.

Cocaine use during pregnancy can cause placental problems, including placental abruption. In this condition, the placenta pulls away from the wall of the uterus before labor begins. This will lead to heavy bleeding that can be life threatening for both mother and baby. The baby may be deprived of oxygen and adequate blood flow when an abruption occurs. Prompt cesarean delivery, however; can prevent most deaths but may not prevent serious complications for the baby caused by lack of oxygen (March of Dimes Foundation, 2010).

After birth, babies regularly exposed to cocaine before birth may have mild behavioral disturbances. As newborns, some are jittery and irritable, and they may startle and cry at the gentlest touch or sound. These babies may be difficult to comfort and may be withdrawn or unresponsive. Other cocaine-exposed babies “turn off” surrounding stimuli by going into a deep sleep for most of the day. Cocaine-exposed babies may be more likely than unexposed babies to die of SIDS. Avoidance Virtually all illegal drugs, such as heroin and cocaine, pose dangers to a pregnant woman.

Legal substances, such as alcohol and tobacco, are also dangerous, and even medical drugs, both prescription and over-the-counter, can be harmful. For her own health and the health of her baby-to-be, a woman should avoid drugs and alcohol as much as possible; from the time she first plans to become pregnant or learns that she is pregnant. Alcohol is one of the most dangerous drugs for pregnant women, especially in the early weeks. In the mother’s body, alcohol breaks down chemically to a cell damaging compound that is absorbed by the fetus.

Heavy drinking during early pregnancy greatly increases the risk of a cluster of birth defects known as fetal alcohol syndrome. This cluster includes a small skull, abnormal facial features, and heart defects, often accompanied by impeded growth and mental retardation. Heavy drinking in later pregnancy may also impede growth (American Council for Drug Education, 1999). It is not known whether light to moderate drinking can produce these effects. However, even if the risk is low, the stakes are very high.

Medical experts agree that a woman should avoid alcohol entirely when she decides to become pregnant, or at least when the first signs of pregnancy appear. Even such mild beverages as beer and wine coolers should be off limits. The Law Currently there is only one state, South Carolina that holds prenatal substance abuse as a criminal act of child abuse and neglect. Other states have laws that merely address prenatal substance abuse. Some of these states consider prenatal substance abuse as part of their child welfare laws.

Therefore, prenatal drug exposure can provide foundation for terminating parental rights because of child abuse. Of these states include: Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin. A number of states have policies that implement admission to an inpatient treatment program for pregnant women who use drugs. These states consist of: Minnesota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. In 2004, Texas made it a felony to smoke marijuana while pregnant, resulting in a prison sentence of 2-20 years (American Pregnancy Association, 2000-2010).

Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for a pregnant woman to become addicted to prescription medications and other illegal drugs. A mother who uses drugs during pregnancy risks her life and her baby’s life. Studies have shown that consumption of illegal drugs during pregnancy can result in miscarriage, low birth-weight, premature labor, placental abruption, fetal death, or even maternal death. While some prescription drugs may be necessary during pregnancy, alcohol consumption and illicit drug abuse is frightfully dangerous during pregnancy, therefore; pregnant women should value their babies and never misuse them.

The world of advertising is exciting and diverse. It has the ability to influence society to follow certain trends or ideas. Every where you look there is some form of advertising. From television to radio, magazines to billboards, product advertising is a large factor in what we do. Alcohol advertising is one of the largest branches of advertising. Millions of dollars each year is spent to advertise alcohol. The ads use tactics to incite people to use their product. Many times people are shown smiling and having a good time. Other ads have shown beautiful women talking to plain guys because the guy was drinking a certain type of beer.

Focusing on one ad in particular is the Absolut Vodka advertising. The ad uses popular trends combined with the vodka product to produce a pun on that certain trend. The ads tend to be very funny and sometimes make a bold statement. The Absolut Vodka ads are so popular that there was a book published with a collection of all the ads. The Absolut ads tend to appeal to younger demographics. The ads are cutting edge and exciting. They are often funny or make fun of serious issues. Young people are incited by these ads because they are different and bold.

The ad also promotes the ideal that if you drink Absolut Vodka you too will be bold and exciting. In this advertisement for Absolut Vodka the bottle is an image of bags with a train background. The meaning of most Absolut Vodka ads is political. The meaning of this advertisement has to do with Sweden years ago. The ad also gives the viewer the idea if you drink Absolut Vodka you will move up in the world. It also presents the ideas of going places and of a high status. Personally this ad does not make myself want to go out and drink. I think this particular ad might be focused at an older audience.

The cool looking design of the bottle in all of the Absolut Vodka advertisements does appeal to the eye and many young viewers. Alcohol advertising plays a major role in underage drinking. The fun and exciting ad? s appeal to young people inciting them to drink. Alcohol advertising should be banned from the younger adult set magazines and not also should not be aired on television channels directed at the younger set. I think that this would greatly help reduce the statistics of underage drinking. Alcohol advertising is not just selling alcohol its selling trouble.