Each part must be 250-400 words
Part 1:
- What is the primary distinguishing feature between Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa?
- Review the research findings on societal and familial factors which can contribute to the manifestation and maintenance of these disorders and share your thoughts on this.
- Post your question to the class that would encourage peers to talk more to you about this week’s topic!
Part 2:
Getting parents involved in school is always a challenge. In elementary schools there is far more involvement than in middle and it drops off again in high school. Sadly, there are often more teachers in the cheering stands for some sports or activities than parents. Why do educators want parents involved? What does the research say? Share a favorite parent involvement activity.
Part 3:
Thinking about this week’s readings in light of our discussion in Week 3 about the legalization of marijuana, what argument can you make for either the prohibition of or the continued legalization of caffeine and nicotine? What are some of the implications of either move? Should a pregnant woman who uses them, for example, be guilty of “fetal abuse” as she might be in the case of alcohol or illicit drug use?
(week 3: The issues of legalization and decriminalization of drugs, including marijuana – are complex phenomena that relate to social attitudes towards the use of drugs, criminal justice, and public health. Taking all these readings and my thoughts into consideration, I would like to highlight that there is a need for a complex approach to the issue of drugs. For example, the legalization of marijuana is quite easy to support because it has been proven to be beneficial (Dills et al., 2021). Marijuana legalization can be associated with a reduction in criminal justice costs; this is evident from the reduced cost of the legal system in the states that have legalized marijuana such as Colorado and California. In addition, it allows for better control and regulation of the drugs being used which may reduce side effects that could come from substances that might be produced and sold in the black market.
However, it has to be said that the legalization of drugs should not be discussed only with regards to marijuana. The broader port of drug decriminalization may have broader benefits such as the minimization of stigma associated with drug taking and the adoption of a health instead of a criminal model. The change may increase the likelihood of substance use disorder patients receiving treatment and other forms of support (Unlu et al., 2020). For instance, when all types of drugs have been decriminalized such as in Portugal, this has had positive effect on the health of the people and less damage is caused. Nonetheless, some of these risks should be taken into consideration when reforming drug policies. This means that potential negative consequence should be met with good regulation, public awareness and support services. While the arguments in favor of legalization and decriminalization cannot be refuted, there must be adequate measures that guarantee that these reforms are affected in ways that optimize public health gains. Ultimately, the evidence-based, systemic approach, including the assessment of health and social factors of drug-related use, can serve as the foundation for a sustainable and inclusive drug policy.
References:
Dills, A. K., Goffard, S., Miron, J., & Partin, E. (2021). The effect of state marijuana legalizations: 2021 update. Cato Institute, Policy Analysis, (908).
Unlu, A., Tammi, T., & Hakkarainen, P. (2020). Drug decriminalization policy: literature review: models, implementation and outcomes.)
