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The Taking Sides Collection on McGraw-Hill Create (R) includes current controversial issues in a debate-style format designed to stimulate student interest and develop critical thinking skills. This Collection contains a multitude of current and classic issues to enhance and customize your course. You can browse the entire Taking Sides Collection on Create or you can search by topic, author, or keywords. Each Taking Sides issue is thoughtfully framed with Learning Outcomes, an Issue Summary, an Introduction, and an "Exploring the Issue" section featuring Critical Thinking and Reflection, Is There Common Ground?, Additional Resources, and Internet References. Go to the Taking Sides Collection on McGraw-Hill Create (R) at www.mcgrawhillcreate.com/takingsides and click on "Explore this Collection" to browse the entire Collection. Select individual Taking Sides issues to enhance your course, or access and select the entire Miller: Taking Sides: Clashing Views in Drugs and Society, 13/e book for an easy, pre-built teaching resource. Visit http://create.mheducation.com for more information on other McGraw-Hill titles and special collections.
Contents
Notemay change or be removed pending permission clearance or other editorial factors. UNIT 1: Drugs and Public PolicyIssue: Should Laws Against Drug Use Remain Restrictive?Yes: David French, from "The Opioid Crisis Should Kill the Call to Legalize Hard Drugs," National Review (2017) No: J. Robert McClure, from "To Win the War on Drugs, We Must Redefine 'Tough on Crime'," The Hill (2017) A variety of federal, state and local laws regulate the possession, trafficking, and manufacturing of drugs in the United States. For the last fifty years the United States has waged a "war on drugs" aimed to limit abuse of and dependence to psychoactive drugs. The war has been very contentious as critics note that it has been driven by racism, is expensive and is ineffective to stop abuse and dependence. Supporters note that drug addiction contributes to crime and social problems and a strong anti-drug position is essential.Issue: Will a Wall on the Border Between Mexico and the United States Stop Drug Importation?Yes: Paul Sperry, from "This Town is Proof that Trump's Wall Can Work," New York Post (2018) No: Rafael Carranza, from "Meth, Cocaine, Heroin: Most Gets Smuggled Through Ports of entry. A Wall Won't Stop It," Arizona Republic (2019) Mexico is a staging point for narcotic movement between Latin America and the United States. The U.S. Border Patrol has noted a marked increase in heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana trafficking across the border between the U.S. and Mexico. American efforts have sought to block illicit drug importation across the nearly 2,000-mile border with mixed efficacy in controlling supply and use and addiction rates. U.S. President Donald Trump has focused drug prevention efforts on securing the southwest border with a wall, which he believes will decrease drug availability and its related violence. Critics report that border walls are expensive and inefficient to prevent trafficking.Issue: Are Drug Companies Responsible for Opioid Addiction?Yes: Ryan Hobbs, from "Time to Hold Big Pharma Responsible for Opioid Crisis," Tallahassee Democrat (2018) No: Brooke M. Feldman, from "Blaming Pharma Alone for Opioid Crisis is Shortsighted," The Philadelphia Inquirer (2019) The epidemic of opioid addiction in the United States is most-often associated with use and misuse of oxycodone (OxyContin), a medication used for treatment of moderate to severe pain. In the mid-1990s Purdue Pharma introduced OxyContin to the U.S. market and sales quickly soared. However, by the early-2000s high rates of OxyContin misuse and addiction were reported across the U.S. and several successful lawsuits were filed against Purdue Pharma, accusing the company of misleading the public about the drug's addictive potential. Lawsuits against opioid manufactures continue from state governments seeking compensation for public service costs associated with addiction.Issue: Should Vaping e-Cigarettes Be Banned?Yes: Frank Zufall, from "Youth Vaping Called Epidemic, Health Concern," Sawyer County Record (2019) No: Chronicle Editorial Board, from "Editorial: San Francisco Vaping Ban is Purely Political Grandstanding," San Francisco Chronicle (2019) Tobacco cigarette use rates in the United States have decreased over the last forty years. In the mid-2000s electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), electronic devices that simulate the experience of cigarette smoking (vaping), were introduced to the U.S. market. Not all e-cigarettes contain nicotine and the long-term health risks of vaping are unknown. While some report vaping can decrease tobacco use, critics contend that e-cigarettes delay or deter quitting tobacco use. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has taken steps to regulate and restrict vaping, especially among use. Some U.S. communities, including San Francisco, have sought to ban e-cigarettes as tobacco cigarettes are.Issue: Should Energy Drinks Be Banned for Children?Yes: Russell Viner, from "Ban on Sale of Energy Drinks to Children," The BMJ (2019) No: Christopher Snowden, from "Energy Drinks - The Government Bans First and Asks Questions Later," Spectator Health (2018) Energy drinks are marketed to provide mental and physical stimulation and their efficacy is attributed to high levels of caffeine and sugar and the presence of botanical stimulants (e.g., guarana and yerba mate). Manufacturers typically market energy drinks to adolescents and young adults who use them alone or with alcohol to combat the latter's sedation. Excessive use is associated with heart and psychiatric problems and some worldwide some governments have sought to ban their sale and use, especially among children and adolescents.Issue: Is the Death Penalty an Effective Approach to Combat Drug Addiction in China?Yes: Editorial Board, from "Nothing Arbitrary about Death Penalty for Drug Trafficking: China Daily Editorial," China Daily (2019) No: Hugh Stephens, from "It's Time for Canada and China to Tone Down the Rhetoric," The Conversation (2019) For westerners drug use and trafficking in China is often associated with the Opium Wars of the nineteenth century. As the world's most populous country with large borders and an expanding economy, drug use, dependence and trafficking have become important social, public health and political issues. China has strong prohibitions against and penalties for drug offenses, including the death penalty. Foreigners have been sentenced to death for drug trafficking in China, which has created political rifts between China and western nations.UNIT 2: Drugs and Social PolicyIssue: Should Smoking Be Banned from Movies?Yes: Larissa Marulli, from "Cignature Studios Calls Hollywood Media To Stop Encouraging Tobacco Use," The Things (2019) No: Stephen Leslie, from "A Ban on Smoking in French Films? The Idea Makes Me Fume," The Guardian (2017) "Wanna cigarette? You're never too young to start," was asked by Dennis Hopper to his 10 year old captive in Waterworld. Indeed, the United States Surgeon General's Report (2018) concluded that exposure to onscreen smoking in movies causes young people to stop smoking. However, classic Hollywood stars, including John Wayne, Groucho Marx and Humphrey Bogart, are known for their tobacco use and smoke has been an essential part of the art of cinema. Issue: Should Athletes Be Allowed to Use Medical Marijuana for Pain Management?Yes: Lisa D. Ellis, from "Could Medical Cannabis Be a Game Changer for Treating Athlete's Pain?" Practical Pain Management (2018) No: Danielle Zoellner, from "There is NO Conclusive Evidence that Marijuana Helps with Chronic Pain and PTSD, 20-year Study Finds" The Daily Mail (2017) Proponents of medical marijuana support its use over traditional pain-relieving medications (e.g., opioids) for certain types of chronic pain, including pain resulting from nerve damage and inflammation. Well-controlled and large-scale studies on cannabinoids, the pharmacologically-active compounds in marijuana, are supported limited but do support use for some neuropathic and chronic pain conditions. Most professional and amateur sports organizations and leagues prohibit marijuana use recreationally and medicinally. Players have been suspended from play for positive cannabinoid drug tests. However, considering the risks associated with pharmaceutical analgesics, should athletes be allowed to use cannabinoids to manage their pain?Issue: Is Marijuana Medicine?Yes: Sumaiya Kabir, from "20 Medical Benefits of Marijuana You Probably Never Knew," Lifehack (2018) No: Michael Kaplan, from "All the Ways Marijuana Can Hurt Your Health," New York Post (2018) More than half the states in the United States have legalized cannabinoids, the active ingredients in marijuana, for medical use. Many more states and communities are considering bills to do the same. Marijuana is used to treat a plethora of conditions, including Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy, psychiatric disorders, multiple sclerosis and pain. However, the true therapeutic benefits of marijuana have not been validated in well-designed, large-scale clinical trials. While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved synthetic cannabinoids to treat a limited range of conditions (e.g., nausea and seizures), smoking or ingesting medical marijuana has not received federal approval. Is marijuana really medicine?Issue: Are Antidepressants an Effective Approach to Combat Depression?Yes: Ken McLaughlin, from "Antidepressants Are Not the Answer," Spiked (2018) No: Reanna Comiso, from "Antidepressant Shaming Is Worsening the Mental Health Epidemic," The Courier (2018) Antidepressants are a large class of drugs used to minimize the symptoms of depression, anxiety and other disorders. Long- and short-term antidepressant use has skyrocketed since 2000 and the United States Centers for Disease Control (2014) estimates that about one-in-eight Americans reported antidepressant use. The recent increase in use is attributed to an increase in stress-related disorders in the U.S. and a decrease in stigma associated with psychotherapeutic use and disorder diagnosis. Critics believe that antidepressants are overprescribed and not effective to help the majority of those with psychiatric disorders.Issue: Are Antidepressants Effective for Children and Adolescents?Yes: Matthew Turner, from "Antidepressants Changed My Life, So Don't Let the Scare Stories Put You Off," The Independent (2016) No: Karen Weintraub, from "Most Antidepressants Don't Work on Kids and Teens, Study Finds," Stat (2016) Depression and anxiety in children and adolescents are common, but frequently unrecognized. The prevalence of depressive and anxiety-related disorders among young people ranges from as low as 1% to as high as 10%, and rates appear to be increasing worldwide. Treatment may include supportive therapy-like lifestyle and behavioral changes-or psychotherapy-like cognitive or interpersonal approaches. The use of antidepressant medications to manage disorder symptoms is controversial. Critics of pharmacotherapy note that antidepressant use in children and adolescents is not clinical effective, induces side effects more profound than those observed in adults, and increases the risk of self-harm and suicide. Proponents of antidepressants report that the drugs can increase the efficacy of therapy and can help those young people that do not respond to other therapies.Issue: Can Ecstasy or Molly (3,4-Methylenedioxy-Methamphetamine, MDMA) Effectively Treat Psychological Disorders? Yes: Kelley McMillan, from "Is Ecstasy the Key to Treating Women with PTSD?" Marie Claire (2015) No: Rachel Patel and Daniel Titheradge, from "MDMA for the Treatment of Mood Disorder: All Talk No Substance?" Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology (2015) 3,4-Methylenedioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA) is a synthetic drug that is similar to both stimulants and hallucinogens and is associated with the club scene where it is known as "Ecstasy" and "Molly". Kelley McMillan in "Is Ecstasy the Key to Treating Women with PTSD?" notes the potential clinical benefits of MDMA to help those with the anxiety disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. Rachel Patel and Daniel Titheradge reviewed preclinical and clinical literature on MDMA and conclude that, "the pharmacology of MDMA offers a promising target as a rapid-onset agent"; however, they note neurotoxicity and safety concerns for MDMA. These limit its wide adoption to help manage the symptoms of psychological disorders.UNIT 3: Drug Prevention and TreatmentIssue: Should Addiction to Drugs Be Labeled a Brain Disease?Yes: Alan I. Leshner, from "Addiction Is a Brain Disease," The Addiction Recovery Guide (2016) No: Steven Slate, from "Addiction Is Not a Brain Disease, It Is a Choice," The Clean Slate (2016) Alan I. Leshner, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse at the National Institutes of Health, believes that addiction to drugs and alcohol is not a behavioral condition but a treatable disease. Addition Theorist Steven Slate counters that addiction is not a true disease since there is no physical malfunction and the brains of addicts are normal.Issue: Should the Legal Drinking Age Stay at 21 to Decrease Underage Alcohol Use?Yes: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, from "Underage Drinking," National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Research Report (2017) No: Jeffrey A. Tucker, from "Lower the Drinking Age!" Foundation for Economic Education (2015) The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) considers underage drinking to be a serious health problem in the United States. Drinking by young people has numerous health and safety risks including injuries, impaired judgment, increased risk of assault, and death. The NIAAA makes recommendations for steps to decrease alcohol use by young people and to treat drinking problems. Jeffrey Tucker argues that despite "draconian" laws against alcohol use in the United States, many teens and young adults still drink. A legal drinking age of 21 years is not realistic and accomplishes nothing to actually stop drinking, according to Tucker. Moreover, the age probation encourages risk drinking behaviors.Issue: Can One Become Addicted to Video Games?Yes: Jonna Lorenz, from "Gaming Addiction 'A Serious Thing,' Says Game Quitters Founder Who Will Speak in Topeka," The Garden City Telegram (2019) No: Marc Lewis, from "Are Video Games Really Addictive?" The Guardian (2018) In April 2019 Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, called for a ban of the massively-popular online video game Fortnite because it is too addictive, especially for young players. While addiction is most often associated with drugs and alcohol, behavioral addictions to gambling, shopping, eating and pornography can develop and be debilitating. What about video games? Are their effects on the brain's reinforcement and reward pathways similar to those of addictive narcotics? Can a video game, like Fortnite, have an impact on mood and behavior that causes significant impairment in daily life? Issue: Are Opioids Overprescribed?Yes: Laura Santhanam, from "Will Fewer Opioid Prescriptions Help Kick the Crisis?" PBS News Hour (2019) No: Scott Scanlon, from "Opioid Painkiller Fears: Has the Pendulum Swung Too Far?" The Buffalo News (2019) Prescription drugs are those that require a medical prescription from a health practitioner to be dispensed. In the United States opioids used to manage inflammation and chronic pain (e.g., hydrocodone (Vicodin), oxycodone (OxyContin or Percocet) and codeine) that have a moderate-to-high abuse liability are available, legally, only via prescription. The increase in opioid misuse and addiction in the U.S. over the last thirty years is attributed by some to increased prescription rates by practitioners unaware of or uninvolved in abuse and dependence liabilities. As politicians and practitioners seek to decrease opioid addiction through prescription misuse, are they leaving patients without a mechanism to effectively manage chronic pain?Issue: Is Advertising Responsible for Alcohol Use by Young People?Yes: Timothy S. Naimi, et al., from "Amount of Televised Alcohol Advertising Exposure and the Quantity of Alcohol Consumed by Youth," Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs (2016) No: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, from "Parenting to Prevent Childhood Alcohol Use," National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Research Report (2017) Alcohol advertisements stabilize alcohol use to cultural norms and associate it with fun and success. Companies spend on marketing because advertisements increase the likelihood of purchase of specific brands. Dr. Timothy S. Naimi and colleagues examined the relationship between the amount of exposure to alcohol advertising and alcohol consumption in underage youth. Their findings revealed that advertising has an effect on drinking behavior. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) notes that parenting style has an important impact on a child's alcohol use and attitudes toward drinking.Issue: Can the Use of Marijuana Lead to Addiction to "Harder Drugs"?Yes: National Institute on Drug Abuse, from "Is Marijuana a Gateway Drug?" National Institute on Drug Abuse Fact Sheet (2018) No: Olivia Petter, from "Marijuana Prevents People from Doing 'Hard Drugs', Claims Study," The Independent (2017) The gateway drug theory proposes that the use of legal or less-potent drugs (e.g., tobacco or alcohol) progresses to the use of illegal and more-potent drugs (e.g., cocaine and heroin). As such, approaches to fight hard-drug use should focus on limiting access and use of the more benign, "gateway" drugs. Marijuana has been considered by some to be a "gateway" to the harder drugs and prohibitions against marijuana use have been based, in part, on this status. While some research--especially on the neuroscience of addiction--supports the gateway theory and its marijuana prohibition, drug control and treatment policies have not necessarily supported it as a prevention effort.NER(01): WOW
