Abstract

This paper seeks to discuss children and drug use as a problem in the United States society. The paper commences by describing the problem at hand, noting its significance and why it deserves attention. Thereafter, the paper analyzes the trends in the problem as it manifests in the society highlighting the differences in social demographics. The paper then identifies and describes the populations that are affected by the problem. In the succeeding section, the paper offers and discusses the theoretical framework that explains the occurrence and predictability of the framework through a sociological perspective. In this, it is noted that social control and social learning theories can explain the problem. The paper then analyzes whether there is growth of the occurrence in the past decade noting a decline in occurrence. In the next sections, the paper determines the credibility of the research and the controversies in scholarship around the key concepts. It is evident from the study that, while the United States society has a general agreement of the existence of the problem of children and drug abuse, there is no consensus on intervention which may reduce its effectiveness.

Assignment 1

Drug use has a negative effect on the user and the members of the society that are close to the user. Drug use in children occurs where the user is a minor. The risk population in this case is individuals aged between birth and seventeen years of age. The use of drugs in a manner that is addictive and outside the scope of prescription is described as abuse (Medline Plus, 2018). This is because the person becomes addicted to the use of the drugs in the course of their lives. This is a significant problem as drug abuse or substance use results in a change in a person’s character and behavior. The effects of drugs are emotional imbalance, impaired judgment and aggression (Medline Plus, 2018). The individual is often unable to maintain positive social behaviors and hence they would often withdraw from social activities. The drugs in question may be either legal or illegal but the outcome of any substance abuse is addiction and behavior change.

Trends in Children and Substance Abuse

There is a growing drug use problem in children in the United Sates over the last few years. The number of children who are reported to use behavior-altering substances has increased in the recent past. The main substances used by children include alcohol marijuana and tobacco. According to the CDC, of the alcohol produced in the country, a tenth is consumed by individuals below the age of 18 years old. The report further opines that by grade 12, 66.67% of the students would have already tried alcohol, 50% marijuana, 40% tobacco and 20% non-prescribed drugs (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2018). Evidently, the problem is common in the United States. The commonness of drug use in problem is different among different racial and social demographics, which shows a trend that aligns commonness to the ease of access to the substance and the perception of the society towards the substance in question.

At Risk Population of the Problem

Substance abuse is a social aspect and hence it affects different members of the society differently. There are also differences of substance use patterns across different demographics (Chen & Jacobson, 2012). This is due to the fact that substance use is dependent on the perception of the society towards the substance. For instance, for the African American community, the children are more likely to use marijuana than other children are. Similarly, the Euro-American children are more likely to use prescription pills than other children are. Additionally, the use of substances is differentiated within the socio-economic status of the children (Chen & Jacobson, 2012). While the problem affects the user by impairing their behaviors and emotions, it also affects the society. Of the percentage who use substances, their interaction with the social environment is impaired and hence the society losses on the positive interaction between its members. In addition, the government loses from reduced productivity of the children, which results in lower economic and educational outcomes.

Theoretical Framework

The main theories that explain substance use in children are sociological theories which assume the influence of the society on behaviors of the individual. Under the social control theory, it is argued that the individual would be attracted to activities that achieve pleasure, self-interest and social deviance (Krohn, et al., 2015). As such, the child is more likely to use substances than to control themselves since they are aware that by doing so, it is pleasurable and they are pursuing rebellious behaviors. The other theory is social learning which argues for the development of behaviors from interaction with the society which is likely to exhibit the behaviors (Krohn, et al., 2015). As such, the theory argues that the child would learn substance use from interacting with a social environment where substance use is a common occurrence. The inference of the theories is that the child is more likely to use substances where the society is highly controlling and where a majority of the members of the society similarly use substances.

Trends in Substance Abuse in Children over the Last Decade

According to Amy, et al., (2015) there has been indications of reducing drug use disorders in children in the United States. The report showed declining trends in the last decade with regards to substance use disorders. While the figure still remains high at 7% of individuals aged between nine and seventeen years of age, there is general decline in the numbers, which declined from 9% to 7% during the period (Mericle, et al., 2015). These figures communicate the trends of drug use disorders but can be used to predict trends in drug use given drug use is directly related to the disorder. The government and stakeholders should increase the efficiency of state and local programs that are used to target substance use in order to completely eliminate the issue. Additionally, the members of the society who are close to the children should support government efforts by fostering early detection.

Credibility of the Research Sources

The objective of the research was to seek an understanding into the children and drug use problem in the United States. In order to achieve this, document review of government records on the issue and review of literature were conducted. This enabled the study to understand the problem from a theoretical and phenomenal perspective. The government records used was obtained from national census and information from the Center for Disease Control. For the scholarly sources, the literature was sourced from National Center for Biotechnology Information database. The literature was peer reviewed and therefore had credibility. The government records offered credibility to the research on the trends of the phenomenon while the peer-reviewed sources offered credibility to the theoretical and descriptive research of the problem. Given the credibility of the information used in the study, it is arguable that the study was similarly credible.

Scholarly Perspectives

Scholarship has general agreement on the nature and the trends of the problem that is facing the country. Perhaps, the current argument is on the theoretical descriptions of the problem as scholars seek to identify ways in which the problem can be explained and predicted. As such, the main focus of the discussion is based on the different perspectives of development of addiction; psychological, sociological, and neurological (Krohn, et al., 2015). However, one other significant controversy is on the prevention and treatment interventions. The differences of effectiveness of the different intervention measures form a significant controversy. This is especially significant when the discussion is on the effectiveness of government led programs such as D.A.R.E which seeks to have children interact with members of the law enforcement office as a way to prevent the onset age of alcohol use (Medline Plus, 2018). However, it is evident that effectiveness of a program is based on the individual’s personal behaviors, personality, and perceptions.

Conclusion

There is a general children and drug use problem in the United States, which, while on a declining trend is still significantly high. The purpose of this essay was to develop an understanding of the current problems faced by the society with regards to the issue. It is noted that there is a decline in the rates of drug use in children and this is based on socio-demographic factors. It is also noted that the sociological perspectives seek to explain and predict the occurrence of the phenomenon including the social control and social learning theories. The sources of research are observed as being credible as they are from government records and peer-reviewed journal articles. In scholarship, while there is general consensus on the origins of the problem, the main controversy is with regards to the intervention effectiveness. Based on the discussion, it is evident that while there is general knowledge on the problem, the main problem in the United States is the development of interventions.

References

Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2018). Teen Substance Use & Risks. Washington, DC: Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Chen, P., & Jacobson, K. C. (2012). Developmental trajectories of substance use from early adolescence to young adulthood: Gender and racial/ethnic differences. Journal of adolescent health, 50(2), 154-163.

Krohn, M. D., Loughran, T. A., Thornberry, T. P., Jang, D. W., Freeman-Gallant, A., & Castro, E. D. (2015). Explaining Adolescent Drug Use in Adjacent Generations: Testing the Generality of Theoretical Explanations. Journal of Drug Issues, 46(4), 373-395.

Medline Plus. (2018, April 28). Drug Abuse.

Mericle, A. A., Arria, A. M., Meyers, K., Cacciola, J., Winters, K. C., & Kirby, K. (2015). National trends in adolescent substance use disorders and treatment availability: 2003–2010. Journal of child & adolescent substance abuse, 24(5), 255-263.

Length: 250-500 words (Going under or over the word count will hurt your grade. If you discover your paper is over 500 words, find ways to combine 3 with 4 and/or 5 with 6 and/or 7.)

Assignment:

This assignment offers some in-depth information about ancient Greek medical practices and how much they continue to influence the present. You will create a list of answers based on an academic source and in doing so will gain experience that will prove helpful for your later essays.

Read the attached article carefully.

List items 1 through 8 in a numbered series (so that your paper looks like the following list in this assignment rather than an essay but without the instructions).

1. State the authors’ thesis or purpose (either paraphrased or quoted directly, including page number where statement appears).

1. In your own words, briefly summarize the entire article (2-3 sentences).

1. Quote the authors once or twice, choosing what you consider particularly eloquent sentences (include page number after each direct quote). Explain why you have chosen each quotation.

1. Cite specific examples the authors use to support their thesis (again, either paraphrased or quoted directly, including page numbers for each). Explain how each example supports the thesis.

1. Describe the audience to whom you think the article is directed. Cite specific examples to explain how you know that. (Think back to Ch. 9 of They Say, I Say in Comp. I.)

1. Describe the article’s strengths and provide at least 1 specific example.

1. Describe the article’s weaknesses and provide at least 1 specific example.

1. State what specific information you found most interesting about the article.

1. Attach and submit your assignment. Do not include the instructions or your similarity report will be too high.

•  The Role of Leadership (300–400 words)
  • Research and summarize senior management’s role in successful quality improvement programs. Be sure to use real, researched examples to demonstrate your points. The Baldrige Award site list of recipients could be a good resource for examples.
  • In general, identify senior management’s specific role in these large-scale strategic quality programs? Cheerleader? Role model? Decision maker? Resource provider? What else?
  • Why must firms adopt the identified roles? What is the risk of not using the roles?
  • Indicate how senior and middle management should derive the metrics to use to monitor and communicate performance?
• With each week, you should include a minimum of 3 new cited references. As such, the references should be varied and different with each section addition. You can reuse references, but repeat references do not count toward the minimum 3 new cited references.

Create a 6-8 page report that analyzes financial ratios for a selected company, uses the data to tell the financial story of that company, and concludes with a recommendation on whether the company would be a viable partner based on its financial condition.

Introduction
It is essential for financial advisors and upper management to know the financial condition of a company for a variety of reasons, including to improve its condition, to make decisions to increase shareholder value, and to know the true value of the entity. Such an analysis is important for any business, small, medium, or large.

This portfolio work project gives you a chance to apply the skills expected of an MBA graduate; from the financial management perspective, you should be able to:

Tell the financial story based on financial statements.
Conduct a financial analysis and identify focus areas for enhancing shareholder value.
Interpret ratio computations that are meaningful and inform business decisions and strategies.

Scenario
Maria Gomez is founder and president of PacificCoast Technology, a small technology company. She is considering being bought out by a larger publicly traded company so she can be rewarded financially for all of her entrepreneurial efforts. She calls you into her office and says:

Thank you for meeting with me today. I’d like to talk to you about the future of the PacificCoast Technology. I’ve been running this company for a long time now, and I think it’s time for me to consider the next five to ten years. I want to find a buyer for this company who can take it to its full potential but with me still leading it. I still want to be a part of the journey, to see this company’s growth, which means this potential buyer needs to be a high quality company with solid financial health. That’s the only way we’ll be sure there’s going to be necessary funds and stability for the firm to grow.

You are ready to take on this project to assist Maria with her vision to find a buyer to take the company into the next phase. At your desk, you review these additional meeting notes:

The acquiring company does not need to be in the same industry, as Maria values financial strength over any synergistic benefits.

Maria wants you to select a company and then examine its financial condition by analyzing its financial statements and using financial ratio analysis. She indicated that using both trend analysis—going back at least three years—and industry average analysis would be helpful information for her.
From this analysis, Maria wants you to tell the financial story of the potential buyer/company by listing its financial strengths and weaknesses.
She expects you to provide a list of actionable decisions so she can understand if the company would be a potentially viable corporate partner.

Your Role
You are one of Maria’s high-performing managers at PacificCoast Technology, and she trusts your work and leadership.

Requirements
After a few days of thinking about Maria’s project request, you call a meeting with her in which you lay out the requirements below. You tell her that by meeting these requirements, you believe she will have the information she needs. Maria approves your plan and asks that you get started right away.

Here is what your report should provide for Maria on the selected company:

Provide a brief background and summary of the potential corporate partner in terms of its history, product lines, and geographic reach. (Remember that Maria is looking for a partner that is a publicly traded firm.)

Analyze the financial statements of the firm, which can be typically be found in the annual report in the investors’ area of the corporate website, including the income statement, balance sheet, and statement of cash flows:

Do a comprehensive financial ratio analysis, including multiple financial ratios in each of the following categories—short-term solvency or liquidity, long-term solvency, asset management or turnover, profitability, and market value ratios.

Use the following tools to analyze these ratios: trend analysis (going back at least three years) and industry average ratio analysis. If industry average ratios are not available for the company, use an average of two of its nearest competitors.

Evaluate the financial statements and ratios of the firm to find its true condition and valuation.
From the ratio analysis, identify and strengths and weaknesses of the company.

Make conclusions on the current status of the firm based on its history and comparison to its competitors.
Make actionable items and conclusions, based on the data analysis, about the status of the company.

Based on the analysis of the firm, identify any general actions that need to be made to improve the financial condition, and indicate the ease or difficulty of the firm doing so.

Tell the current financial story of the firm and indicate the overall health of the firm as it relates to current valuation and the future prospects of the company.

Provide a clear picture of the financial condition and valuation of the company to shareholders, debtholders, customers, and employees.

Present information graphically and in narrative form, conveying a compelling snapshot of the company.

Recommend whether the company would be a good match to enter into a buyout tender offer/agreement.

Remember that it is not enough to just simply summarize numbers or data for your audience. Put yourself in their shoes and make the connections for them, tell them why it is important, and tap into their concerns and motivations.

Deliverable Format
Create a report that tells the financial condition of a company. Your report should provide information on the following:

Analysis of the financial statements.
Evaluation of the true condition and valuation of the company.
Recommendation of actionable items for the company based on the financial analysis.
Report requirements:
Ensure written communication is free of errors that detract from the overall message and quality.
Use at least three scholarly resources.
Your report should be between 6 and 8 pages.
Use 12 point, Times New Roman.
If you are experienced with preparing professional reports, you may use a format of your choice. However, if you are new to this type of writing and document style, you may wish to use these sections as a way to organize your report:

Early Adulthood Decisions

complete the readings in this unit related to early adulthood, including intimate relationships, adjustment to marriage, decisions related to childbearing, and all aspects of life in this phase of development. Then, review the case study at the beginning of Chapter 11 of your text (the case begins on page 418).

What are some of the challenges that this individual is facing? Knowing these challenges associated with trajectories and transitions outlined in the text, evaluate the developmental crisis and implications for an individual facing the psychosocial crisis of intimacy versus isolation.

Cite at least two references from the unit readings to support your work.

Middle Childhood and Counseling Specializations

The purpose of this discussion is to consider how different specializations within counseling might address issues of school-age development. Use the readings in this unit, along with the ones you found in your own independent research, to help you think through and write about these issues.

For your initial post, choose one of the cases below and address the following in relation to that case:
•Identify the challenges that the student, family, or individual client may be experiencing, based on your specialization.
•Identify any psychosocial conflicts that may be present and the transitions related to middle childhood that may be considered.
•Choose one theory of personality development and explain how that theory helps you understand this student’s behavior.
•Describe specific ways of helping the student, family, or individual client from your professional perspective.

Tracy, 10-Year-Old Student

Tracy is a 10-year-old student who is heavily influenced by his parents regarding his academic activities. The pressure that he is receiving at home has caused him to withdraw from all pleasurable activities at school, including his passion for writing, arithmetic, and friends. He was once an A student but now is maintaining a C average. He has disengaged from regular activities and sits alone when he is not required to participate in group activities. It is known that the family has had some major stressors last year that has resulted in Tracy’s parents contemplating divorce.

Sonia, 9-Year-Old Student

Sonia is 9 years old, and she reports feeling lonely all the time. She seems to be isolated from her peers and reports feeling different from everyone around her. She says that she does not like the feeling of being vulnerable and has a hard time opening up to others. She reports hating school and only wants to stay at home with her mother. She cries every morning when her mother gets her ready for school. She will also cry each time the teacher indicates that the next upcoming subject is math. Sonia’s parents are concerned for their daughter and are unable to ask for assistance because of a language barrier

Developing and Implementing an Action Plan (35%)
Related Assignment No. 2 Filipino Community in Calgary

Based on your understanding of your community and the issue(s) identified in the community assessment, you can now put together much of what you have learned across the whole course to design a hypothetical intervention to address the community health issue.
Describe a participatory approach to addressing the community issue(s) identified in Assignment 2 in a paper of no more than 3000 words (about 10-12 double-spaced pages, excluding appendices), using Times New Roman 12 point font. Use the APA Style Guide to format your paper, and be sure to include citations and a reference list.
Address the following points in your paper, and where warranted, include research evidence (citations) to support your answers.
Briefly summarize the community issue(s) identified in the previous assignments.
Describe the context and the determinants of the problem in enough detail so that it is possible to see both the impacts and root causes of the problem.
Building on your understanding of community development, and what a community intervention must look like, design and describe the steps and processes of a participatory intervention that will address the community problem you have described.
Integrate the use of at least five of the principles of community development.
Apply critical thinking principles to analyse the results of the community development approach you use. Discuss what model you think your approach most closely resembles, and describe the strengths and weaknesses of that model. What worked well and what didn’t work well? What would you change if you had to do it again?
Include references to the course readings and at least three other sources from the literature to support your work.

At the end of week seven you will be required to submit a marketing plan for your final
project.
I. Marketing Plan Requirements:
You are to choose a company and develop a marketing plan for a product or service.
Your business of choice may be a new business launch or a company seeking to break
into new markets. Each component of the marketing plan must be thoroughly
discussed. Keep in mind that your plan must be realistic and doable. Also, it will be
required that you address each component in the marketing plan outline.
Your marketing plan should be crafted as if you were submitting a formal marketing plan
to an executive committee, board members or investors in the marketing initiative. The
marketing plan should be of the highest caliber and exhibit the utmost of professionalism.
Required components of the Marketing Plan:
• Company name
• Executive summary
• Situation Analysis
• Customer
• Competition
• Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT)
• Macro environmental analysis
• Market segmentation
• Product
• Price
• Distribution
• Promotion
• Projections
• Projected costs | Categorized budget information
• Conclusion
Appendix
Complete visuals consisting of bar charts, pie charts, and flowcharts all three is required
Remember that all of the components will be required

Measurement of solution properties
1. With the data given partial specific volume and partial molar mass should be calculated.(table.1)
Table1. Protein conc. Solution density
77.12. 1.0195
154.79. 1.0394
249.98. 1.0635
336.82. 1.0856
421.08. 1.1068
2.measured viscosity of the aqueous protein solution at 15 degree C as a function of protein concentration. The 585 amino acid has a molar mass of 66500 g/mol (table.2).

Identify a Multinational Enterprise and discuss its overall international strategy (global, transnational, localization or international) and the structure that supports this strategy.