Drugs and Alcohol Essay - 1107 Words

Drugs and Alcohol For nearly 85 years, the government has prohibited pscychoactive drugs. American leaders attempted to do the same to alcohol with Prohibition in the 1920?s. In any society, drug use plays a part in the people?s culture. Whether it be a native taking hallucinogens for a religious ceremony, a destitute alcoholic drinking on a city street, or a group of teenagers smoking marijuana, drugs and alcohol have the same effects in any culture. The question of ?why do people use drugs? has been a dilemma which American medical experts and government leaders have fought to answer for years. Recently, many institutions and organizations have formed in order to fight the war on drugs and help diminish the percent of Americans who use†¦show more content†¦Sadly, prolonged or excessive use can lead to alcoholism. In fact, of the 175 million drinkers in America, 10 to 13 million are alcoholics. Additionally, the majority of all hospital emergencies involve accidents or illnesses related to a lcohol use. The production, distribution, and marketing of alcoholic beverages are employers of many people and generate large sums of money. As a whole, drinking is as much of a part of American society as apple pie and the Fourth of July. Because drinking is such a big part of our lives, the problems which arise from its use are not to be easily diminished (Snyder 19). Despite the fast-paced growth and apparent success of Alcoholics Anonymous over the past 50 years, American society has collectively paid little attention to alcolhol-related problems. In the early to mid 1900?s, drinking was deemed generally acceptable behavior, and alcoholics were typically viewed as ? an unfortunate minority of weak-willed people, victims of self-inflicted damage and hardship?(Snyder 27). Some major steps have been taken by the institutions of American society to combat alcoholism. In 1956, the American Medical Association declared alcholism was a disease. However, the societal fear of marijuana, heroin, and prescription-drug abuse of the 1960?s and 70?s caused concern over alcoholism to reduce quite dramatically. However, the government soon captained more programs which researched and attemptedShow MoreRelatedDrugs And Alcohol And Drugs1767 Words   |  8 PagesSome people know what alcohol and drugs do to our body and we understand, but the problem is â€Å"How come people do these kind of stuff in the first place?† or what makes them choose these choices. Well the thing is, People suffer from anxiety, bipolar disorder, depression or other mental illnesses use drugs and alcohol to ease their sufferings. But the thing that we don t get is why do such a bad thing if you know that it s destroying your organs and your insides. Drugs or alcohol can sometimes mak eRead MoreDrugs and Alcohol1682 Words   |  7 PagesMethod 3 References 4 Background Drugs and alcohol is a major social issue (J. David Hawkins, Richard F. Catalano, and Janet Y. Miller, 1992). It is not something that can be solved by the law (Lee P. Brown, 2008). Throughout history, many attempts have been made to try and legalize and control alcohol and drug addiction but has failed. It requires education, international awareness and a lot of work to resolve. Whilst alcohol and certain drugs are not illegal, the potential dangers areRead MoreDrug Alcohol And Alcohol Abuse Essay980 Words   |  4 PagesDrug and Alcohol Abuse Drug and alcohol abuse is something that is happening more and more often it seems. There are many reason for this happening. First of all, people experiment with drugs and alcohol mainly out of curiosity. Maybe their friends are doing it, they just want to have a good time, or they could be hoping to improve athletic performance. It is common thing at parties and social gatherings for people to feel the need to drink or try drugs. Another reason start to use and abuse drugsRead MoreThe Drug Of Drug And Alcohol Abuse Essay1531 Words   |  7 PagesThe movie Trainspotting is an entertaining look into the dark world of drug and alcohol abuse. Heroin is the drug of choice for the protagonist, but other substances are also consumed throughout the film: heroin, prescription medication, opium, hash, amphetamines, and alcohol are a constant presence in the story. Repeated polysubstance abuse combined with a negative social environment and a weak support structure compounds the problems of Renton, a heroin addicted young adult man living in ScotlandRead MoreAlcohol And Drug Addiction : Drugs1498 Words   |  6 Pages Alcohol and Drug Addiction Xinge Xu University of Toronto Throughout the vast history of mankind, alcohol has always been a popular and controversial topic. Unlike other illegal drugs with strict rules, alcohol seems to be a more universal and socially acceptable drink. In fact, it is the most widely used drug substance in the world. However, with the gradually increasing amount of problems associated with alcohol, people should weigh and examine the medicinalRead MoreDrug Alcohol And Drug Abuse1773 Words   |  8 Pagesnet - guide - Avoiding Alcohol And Drug Abuse In College College is a time of great personal growth and education, but it is also a time to have a lot of fun. Unfortunately, people often take this fun too far by delving into excessive drug and alcohol abuse. This impacts millions of college students every year in multiple ways, including creating a lifelong addiction, causing educational problems, and even personal injury. However, it is possible to avoid alcohol and drug abuse in college. It takesRead MoreDrug Use Of Drugs And Alcohol2261 Words   |  10 Pagescurrent ongoing problem in the United States is the continuous use of drugs and alcohol. There isn’t a day that goes by where we don’t see in the paper or on the internet that someone overdosed on drugs and passed away. Currently the United States is narrowing in on the legalization of one drug in particular, which is marijuana. Just over 130 years ago there were no laws against drug use, until the 20th century when the fight against drug use began. Harry Anslinger is man who began the probation of marijuanaRead MoreAlcohol and Drug Abuse1722 Words   |  7 PagesAlcohol and Drug Addiction Samara Kitchens COM/156 Instructor: Sunday, May 19, 2013 There was a missing person report across the news today, my co-worker stated. I never paid any attention to it; I went on about my day as if everything was fine. When I arrived at home I had severalRead More Drugs and Alcohol Essay1599 Words   |  7 PagesDrugs are heavily used throughout the entire world. However, it is important to understand and not undermine the variability in which drugs are used. It is clear some are for distinct medical treatment and others are for recreational use. In the United States, marijuana has been and continues to be a very controversial drug. Some states have allowed marijuana consumption for medicinal purposes, while others have completely outlawed the drug. Those who are against the legalization and regulationRead MoreAddiction : Drugs And Alcohol1001 Words   |  5 Pagesassociated with drugs and alcohol. Addiction is not only related to drugs or alcohol, but it is also tied with things and activities. Addiction to drugs or alcohol are quite similar yet slightly different to addictions to activities and other things. Addiction to drugs and alcohol over time leads to a buildup of tolerance causing the user to need more of what they are addicted to in order to experience the same or more of an effect than they once needed to attain the same effect. They take drugs to avoid

The Jungle Book by Upton Sinclair - 1261 Words

The Jungle by Upton Sinclair exemplifies a muckraking style in its often gory depictions of life in a meat packing factory, Sinclair writes of how the meat packing industry exploits its workers, many of whom are uneducated and poor in the same way a capitalist government exploits its working class. Sinclair uses Symbolism in terms of physical objects, Objects that serve a metaphorical purpose, and oppressive tone, to persuade the reader that Capitalism leads to the declination and corruption of America and that the only way to remedy this is socialistic government. Among the few things in The Jungle that is referred to a symbol is the family house. The house is a symbolic object represents the hopes and dreams that Jurgis and his†¦show more content†¦He views this as the way American capitalism has an attractive exterior to the incoming immigrants, but in reality is as corrupt and rotten as the meat they [Americans] sell. The slaughterhouses of The Jungle are not just conv enient targets for Sinclair to expose to the public. They also serve as a larger metaphor for how American business treats its laborers, by luring them into unsafe working conditions and then consuming their dedication and strength just as they did to the livestock. In the novel, Sinclair blames the mechanisms of capitalism on the tricks that the meatpackers use to sell spoiled and contaminated meat. In an effort to squeeze every dime that they can out of the meat packing process, the packers encourage short cuts and unsanitary conditions in order to avoid wasting money. The workers are so abused themselves by the system that they do not have the power to change the conditions of the factories, this causes the audience to empathize with the workers, empathy (and disgust) is what triggered the major response of the public after this novel was published. Sinclair starts an oppressive or an unsettling tone very early in the novel when Jurgis is getting a tour of the meat packing factory and narrows into a very specific incident: These people could not be shown to the visitor – for the odor of the fertilizer man would scareShow MoreRelatedHow The Other Half Lives, And Upton Sinclair s Book, The Jungle, By Jacob Riis1300 Words   |  6 PagesAmericans and their perception on others. With the massive increase in industrialization and urbanization, Americans living in poverty and with poor jobs were mostly effected negatively than others. In Jacob Riis’s book, How the Other Half Lives, and Upton Sinclair’s book, The Jungle, it opened the eyes of Americans not living and working in these conditions. After the government and American people witness the horror some citizens must deal with, changes will occur and improve conditions. MassRead MoreUpton Sinclair s The Food Industry958 Words   |  4 PagesMikayla Peri Ms. Maxwell English III 10. Feb. 2015 Upton Sinclair Upton Sinclair, the most influential writer regarding the food industry was born in Baltimore 1879. Growing up in a poor family with an alcoholic father was difficult for Upton (Simkin, John). Upton often lived with his wealthy grandparents during his childhood due to the instability in his own home. Moving from his poor parents house to his grandparents rich house constantly made him see the injustice in the American society, thisRead MoreThe Jungle by Upton Sinclair Student Critique1539 Words   |  7 PagesThe book The Jungle was introduced as a novel by Upton Sinclair was financed and published with his own money. Upton Sinclair was a famous novelist and social crusader from California. He was born on 20 September 1878 in Baltimore Md. He was the only child of Priscilla Harden and Upton Beall Sinclair. Upton Sinclair’s childhood was lived in poverty, one where his father was an alcoholic, his job as an alcohol salesman most likely contributed to his disease. And although his own family was extremelyRead MoreA Blatant Agenda1280 Words   |  6 Pagesagendas in the hopes of swaying readers to their cause. The Jungle by Upton Sinclair is a prominent example of this phenomena. Hailing from the early 20th century, The Jungle addresses the poor working conditions in which the emigrant workers of the time would labor, working up to what equates to a socialist rant at the end of the novel. Upton Sinclairs political biases in The Jungle are in no way cleverly tied into the story, in fact, Sinclair egregiously abused the plot of the novel as a tool to mercilesslyRead MoreThe Jungle by Upton Sinclair 792 Words   |  3 PagesCritics often argue that Upton Sinclair, author of many classic American novels including The Jungle, was cynical and bitter even. However if one were to dig just a bit deeper they may realize that Sinclair was spot on in his idea that this â€Å"American dream† that our country sells is actually a work of fiction. In his book The Jungle, Sinclair, points out the flaws of the American dream. Many immigrants traveled thousands of miles aboard, cramped, disease infested, ships with hope of coming to thisRead MoreEssay about Upton Sinclair And The Chicago Meat-Packing Industry1094 Words   |  5 PagesUpton Sinclair and the Chicago Meat-packing Industry In 1900, there were over 1.6 million people living in Chicago, the countrys second largest city. Of those 1.6 million, nearly 30% were immigrants. Most immigrants came to the United States with little or no money at all, in hope of making a better life for themselves. A city like Chicago offered these people jobs that required no skill. However, the working and living conditions were hazardous and the pay was barely enough to surviveRead MoreIs Upton Sinclairs The Jungle a Primary Source?837 Words   |  3 Pages The Jungle written by Upton Sinclair shows a vivid description of life and the living condition in the meat and other industry around Chicago. The Jungle is full of examples of historical content about profit, corruption, and condition making it a good primary source. To determine whether a book is a primary source or a secondary source, a person needs to know what a primary and secondary source is. First, a primary source, define by Princeton, â€Å"is a document or physical object which was writtenRead MoreUpton Sinclair and the Chicago Meat-Packing Industry1072 Words   |  5 PagesUpton Sinclair and the Chicago Meat-packing Industry In 1900, there were over 1.6 million people living in Chicago, the countrys second largest city. Of those 1.6 million, nearly 30% were immigrants. Most immigrants came to the United States with little or no money at all, in hope of making a better life for themselves. A city like Chicago offered these people jobs that required no skill. However, the working and living conditions were hazardous and the pay was barely enough to surviveRead MoreA Comparison of the Legacy of Upton Sinclairs The Jungle and Rachel Carsons Silent Spring1725 Words   |  7 Pages 1906 would see the publication of Upton Sinclairs The Jungle, pushing through major reforms of the meatpacking industry and eventually causing the government to take actions to protect the health of its people; almost fifty years later, the publication of Rachel Carsons novel Silent Spring would invoke a similar, but changed response to the threat of DDT. Although both would lead to government legislation creating major changes, the original intentions of the authors themselves differedRead MoreUpton Sinclair and His Influence on Society Essay1552 Words   |  7 PagesUpton Sinclair, the famous American author, wanted to be a great influence on society. He was born in 1878 in Baltimore, Maryland, from a family of Southern aristocracy. His father was an alcoholic and his mother came from a wealthy family. When Sinclair was ten, the family moved to New York. His father sold hats and spent his evenings in bars coming home drunk every night. As a child, Sinclair was an excellent reader and scholar. By the age of fourteen, he began writing in his spare time.

I Am the Messenger free essay sample

Kennedy is a character that depicts many attributes in which give him a life of solitude and feeling that there is no purpose in life. But with one event Kennedy’s life changes into a life of purpose, a life full of adventure, and a life in which he always wanted. Kennedy was a below average teenager with not much of a future since he was a high school drop out. Being an underage cabdriver it gave him enough money to survive but not enough to live a lavish lifestyle that every teenager wants to live. Eventually he would notice this and Kennedy would lingered in a life without purpose. One day in his ordinary life Ed Kennedy decides to go to the bank without knowing that this event would change his life. Kennedy would be in a bank robbery, not as robbing the bank but as an innocent person, and would be held at gunpoint many times for not keeping his mouth shut. We will write a custom essay sample on I Am the Messenger or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The robber eventually asks for someone’s key and Kennedy without knowing would save the robbery from this action. The robber went to get the car but didn’t know that it would not work at this time. By giving him the keys to an old beat down car the robber was not able to escape and eventually Kennedy would grab the gun that the robber would leave at the ground and hold him at gun point until the police came to arrest the robber. With this single event Kennedy’s life would change and would be full of purpose; therefore, making it an important part of the theme. After the bank robbery Kennedy would be all over the newspapers because of his supposed heroism. Soon after his heroic day view he would receive an Ace of spades with a list of names on the card. Instead of thinking that this card was a message Kennedy took it as an obligation to find these people and help. The first assignment was in the middle of the night at Edgar Street, this is an unexpected event in many ways. At his first assignment Kennedy did not know what to expect since he had done nothing of this sort before. At Edgar Street Ed Kennedy would observe a man raping his wife but would not know how to react and would ask himself who is giving him these assignments. Later assignments would come and Kennedy as a character would evolve from an isolationist into a hero that would help others. Kennedy would charm the people in his assignments to change and would gain a purpose in life that both the assignments and him always wanted. The theme of this novel is to find a purpose in your life and to never stop striving to find it no matter what the circumstances are. In the novel I am the Messenger Ed Kennedy is living a life without purpose and just surviving. But by doing each assignment with much charisma Kennedy inspires many to strive to become better; therefore, making the society around him a better place to live in. When Kennedy finally found his purpose he learned that some assignments would be simple while others would be painful to go through, which he had never experienced because he lived a life of isolation. Ultimately this novel, I am the Messenger, can relate to many people, which can motivate people to find a purpose in life. Although the assignments were vividly harsh it depicts a point that everyone can learn from. Living in isolation does not harm anyone except for yourself but once you live a life full of charity and purpose one can experience life in a positive way. By living a life with these attributes Ed Kennedy evolved into a character that charms his assignments into doing what is right. The theme of the novel teaches to find a purpose in our lives so that we can live a life full of happiness even in the times of darkness.