Environmental Analysis (company reporting) Essay

Environmental Analysis (company reporting) - Essay Example The environmental costs will include the amount the company will have to pay in order to indemnify the victims of the company's water waste victims. The environmental costs will include the amount of money spent to clean up the land and water area that they has been contaminated with dirty water sewage as well as the pollution of the air by the smokestacks with the company's carbon dioxide emissions in violation of the law. The environmental costs includes costs to clean up the company's contaminated sites, penalties for violation of the UK and Germany environmental laws. Environmental accounting also includes the taxes that the company will be able to save because the net income of the business has been reduced by money invested in environment saving devices. According to Wolfgang Ballwieser, there are many major key features of the German Accounting System 1Accounting in Germany. One of which is that it is influenced by the Roman Law system. The German finance financial accounting is regulated by the law from the start to the finish. The start begins with the gathering of business financial data that will be used in the recording of daily business transactions what will be recorded and how it will be recorded. The finish of the accounting in our basic accounting course(Larson,1995) is the part when the financial statements such as the balance sheet and the income statements as well the statement of cash flows are produced. The most important accounting law in Germany is the Handelsgesetzbuch or simply known as the HGB commercial code. This German accounting law is composed of regulations(Sussland, 2000) that are depending on the which of business the German company is involved in. The business could be a sole proprietorship which means that is owned by only one individual or businessman or businesswoman. Another form of business organization is the balance sheet. The partnership is composed of two or more persons who will agree to contribute, money or industry to the partnership in order to generate income. The partners then agree to distribute the profits by dividing such based on a pre agreed profit and loss distribution plan. The last kind of organization is the corporation. The corporation is composed of shareholders who willingly invests their hard earned cash in the business but do not partake in the minor day to day business operations. This same German accounting law gives laws based on the size of the business. This Same German accounting law use the factor of what kind of business the company is engaged in. The German accounting system in all situations, even the predictable events, must be based on the Grundstze ordnungsmiger Buchfhrung or GoB which is described as the principles of regular accounting. The Gob had previously originated from accounting for business transactions. The the Grundstze ordnungsmiger Buchfhrung or GoB is a major factor in accounting for tax purposes because both the commercial accounting(Ross et al, 1996) and the tax computation process are related. The method of accounting will either increase or decrease the amount of taxes that the business enterprise will pay the government of Germany. Therefore, the process of using group accounting is now legally

Genetically Modified Food Essay Example for Free

Genetically Modified Food Essay Genetically modified (GM) foods are ethically unacceptable. GM foods are food product derived in whole or part from a genetically modified organism by human intention. It is a special set of technologies that concerns the alteration, deletion, or addition of the genetic makeup of living organisms such as animals, plants, or bacteria. This is an important issue because GM foods have been dubbed as the Food of the Future and although studies have shown that genetically modified foods may bring about many benefits to mankind, we must also look into the ethical issues involved in producing such food before we even consider accepting it as the way of the future. First, we must understand that the word ethical is defined as having to do with ethics or morality; or of conforming to moral standards. There will be 3 parts to this essay. Firstly, I will be presenting and defending 2 arguments that support my stand. Following that, Ill take into consideration some common objections against my thesis. Lastly, I will summarize the main points in this essay before drawing to a conclusion. The essays argument takes the form of Modus Ponens: If GM is X, GM is unethical GM is X GM is unethical My main argument is that it is unethical to tamper with nature by mixing genes among the different species. By doing so, it may actually lead to a violation of natural organisms intrinsic values. There is a very delicate balance that links this world together and this is the balance that makes things work. GM foods might actually give rise to more complications such as the disturbance of natures food pyramid. For example, the pesticide produced in the crop may unintentionally harm other creatures while producing a benefit to others. The introduction of pest-resistant genes into crops could lead to the death of the pests and other animals causing an imbalance in the food chain that could possibly lead to the extinction of some species especially if they are only localized in one particular area. In Britain, a native farm bird, the Skylark, was indirectly affected by the introduction of GM sugar beets that were designed to resist herbicides. The result in planting this crop was that weeds were reduced substantially. However, since the birds rely on the seeds of this weed in autumn and winter, researchers expect that up to 80% of the Skylark population would have to find other means of finding food. Another issue brought up is that GM crops may also pose a health risk to native animals that eat the plants and may be poisoned by the built-in pesticides. Although others might also argue that the cutting down of trees to construct buildings might also be a way of tampering with nature, GM food not just tampers with physical nature but with the foundation of nature genes. Every organism, no matter how small, is made up of genes. These genes control the physical development and behavior of the organism and are passed down from parent to offspring. The word genes (comes from the Greek word genos meaning origin) actually defines natures origin and the production of GM food would mean to change the origin of nature. Furthermore, religious communities Christians, Hindus, Jews and Muslims Ââ€" also share such concerns regarding GM products. According to Bishop Jeff Davies from the SA Council of Churches, With genetic engineering, we are tampering with the structures of life that have taken millions of years to evolve and we have the arrogance to think that we can improve on them in 10 years to transfer a gene from one species into another. Different religious communities have different believes and one of them would be their food such as kosher and halal food. But with the introduction of animal genes into plants how will they define a tomato with a fish gene? This will also be a major concern to vegetarians. All in all, I believe that people should be happy with what nature has to give and not play God and try to control nature. It is unethical to sacrifice other creatures and meddle with the delicate balance of nature. Furthermore, there will be potential chain reactions that may be unstoppable. One other argument is how GM products can affect our health especially in the long run. The unpredictable changes in our food could lead to negative reactions that are not detected by research techniques until much later. A quick acceptance of GE foods without proper testing could show corporate profitability to be very influential but that would be too dangerous because there has been no adequate safety testing to ensure that using other organisms genes is going to have the same useful effects if inserted into a totally unrelated species. Furthermore, testing has only been done on a small scale currently and its hard to predict what will happen when its used on a wider ecology. In 1989, dozens of Americans died and several thousands were afflicted and impaired by a genetically altered version of the food supplement L-tryptophan. Studies have been done to show how viruses can mix with genes of other viruses to give rise to more deadly viruses. To mass market the use of GM food when it has not been properly tested for safety issues would mean that businesses are gaining at the expense of consumers health and is therefore ethically unacceptable. On the other hand, some organizations insist that GM technology is the solution to solving the problem of world hunger. However, I feel that it is simply a ploy of corporations and countries that are using the plight of the developing world as a marketing strategy to gain acceptance of GE foods. GM technology is not an economical method that can be easily implemented by most countries. In fact, genetic engineering techniques are currently being applied to crops important to the industrialized world and not on crops which the worlds hungry depend on. GM foods could actually reduce developed countries reliance on crops from developing countries, resulting in loss of trade and severe economic damage for them and intensifying their problem of poverty. This would mean that theres a conflict of interest. Furthermore, an important factor that Friends of the Earth has pointed out is that many people in the world are suffering from malnutrition and hunger because they cannot afford to buy food, not because it is unavailable. Therefore, even with GM food, people would still not be able to afford it or have it distributed appropriately. Most of the causes of hunger are found in global politics, rather than issues of agriculture and technology. As a result, a variety of groups and people are questioning the motives behind GM foods as the political causes of hunger appear to be ignored. An article from Food First observed that most innovations in agricultural biotechnology have been profit-driven rather than need-driven and it questions whether GE technology can really ensure food security, protect the environment and reduce poverty in the developing world or is it produced simply because its patentable and thus, profitable to businesses. In some cases, as reported by The Institute for Science, pesticide usage is actually increasing, and GE crop actually yield less than conventional crops. In this essay, I have come up with several valid reasons why Genetically Modified Foods are ethically unacceptable. GM foods tamper with the origin of nature which is the genes and there is inadequate safety testing to prove that GM food is safe for human consumption. Therefore, businesses are mass marketing GM food at the expense of consumers health and proclaiming that GM Food is the solution to world hunger when it might not be true. Although there might be potential and benefits in GE technology, there are still many unknown areas that might prove to be more harmful then beneficial. Furthermore, there are still too many important ethical issues that have been ignored and that reason by itself makes it ethically unacceptable.

Strategic Marketing by Nintendo Select an organisation

Strategic Marketing by Nintendo Select an organisation Introduction Starting out as a playing card company when it was first founded in 1889, later entered the video game industry in 1985; Nintendo has since become the leading manufacturer and distributor of video-game software and hardware (i.e. handheld consoles and static consoles). Such success has largely been attributed to Nintendos ability to develop and manage some of the most innovative products in the industry, where some still remained as one of the biggest seller of all time. Despite its success and the current position as the market leader in both the console and handheld market, Nintendo is facing increasing competition from its competitors; Microsoft and Sony, the challenges on its market from the recent recession as well as the saturation of demand of the current generation of consoles. This essay will analyse some of the main strategic marketing tools covered in the module, and then evaluate and make suggestions on how they can be used by Nintendo to manage its existing products and product portfolios or help to develop new ones. Defining product Due to the scope of the essay, the strategic marketing tools that will be analysed will be mainly related to product. A product is either tangible or intangible; it can be defined as a good, a service or even an idea or brand. It is an important factor in the marketing mix and can be a companys most important asset. A product can also be broken into three levels, core, actual and augmented (as shown in fig. 1). It is important to note that the core product is not the product itself and is not tangible; it is the basic benefits from gaining the actual product (Dibb, Simkin, Pride, Ferell, 2001). Figure Nintendo has a range of products within the video game industry, from well-known handheld consoles such as the Nintendo DS and the static video-game consoles such as the Wii, to a range of compatible video-game peripherals, accessories and software from its studios. If we take the Wii for example, the core benefit to the user would be the perceived enjoyment or fun from playing the console, the actual product would have the features of running the compatible games, while the augmented product would be the customer service and warranty the end-user could use when console breaks. Some of these products will be analysed in more detail later on using the strategic marketing tools in order to give more details on the current situation of the company and the market. The Tools There are many marketing tools and concepts nowadays to help companies assess their products and the market in order to make more informed decisions in planning. This section will concentrate on three of the strategic marketing tools relating to product as discussed within the module, with focus on the benefits and limitations of each tool when applied to Nintendo and its products. Product lifecycle Perhaps one of the more widely known tools in managing products (Dhalla Yuspeh, 2009), the product lifecycle breaks down the progress of a product developing over time into four main stages: introduction, growth, maturity, and decline. The stages can be seen on the graph in fig. 1. The first line represents the sales a company has made, while the line below is the actual profits gained after deducting all the cost. Time is represented on the horizontal axis. Figure Source: http://tutor2u.net/business/marketing/products_lifecycle.asp At introduction, despite the rapidly rising sales, it is likely that the profit remains in the negative due to the considerable costs incurred to develop and launch the new product. During the growth period, as more people become aware of the product and demand grows, sales and profit increase rapidly. After a period of time, growth in demand would start to slow as the maturity approaches. At the maturity stage, competition could be the strongest and it is also where the most profit can be earned. After the product reaches maturity, sales and profit will fall into decline as the market shrinks. By understanding the stage a companys product is at, strategic decisions can be made to minimise cost or to boost sales. Many of Nintendos products can be perceived as following such cycle. One example can be seen from Wii, one of Nintendos most success products and the current market leader in static consoles. When it was first released in 2006, there was much hype about the new product amongst the gaming community; the product was part of the seventh generation consoles, and features the distinctive motion-sensitive controllers. Although the new console lacks the graphics and processing power of its rivals, Microsofts Xbox 360 and Sonys PS3; the features of which the traditional video-gaming communities (dominated by young male gamers) have placed great emphasis on, Nintendo has dramatically increased sales by expanding the market into new consumer segments (i.e. older generations and other casual gamers) (Mintel Oxygen, 2008). In 2009, sales have slowed as the market for the current generation of consoles reaches maturity, prompting Nintendo to lower the retail price in order to boost sales (Mintel Oxygen, 2010). While the Wii seemed to be going through the stages of a product lifecycle, yet, the product lifecycle would have been too simple for Nintendo to base most of their strategies and planning on. One of its limitations is that it cannot help managers to effectively forecast sales; a reason for this would be that sales can be affected by a number of factors, internal and external. For instance, the product lifecycle could not have forecasted the recent recession which saw a cut back on spending from the casual gamers who view Wii as one of the luxury goods, thus affecting the sales. Another major limitation of the product lifecycle is that not all products will follow the typical lifecycle curve. An example can be seen from Nintendos Virtual Boy when it was first launched in 1995, the console uses a head-mounted display and controller, but since it had many technological limitations, the product did not get the sales needed and was discontinued after one year (Fletcher, 2010). Here, the product did not reach growth and maturity after introduction, and went into decline soon after. Due to its simplicities and many other limitations ( Day, 1981), some critics even argues that companies can make costly mistakes and miss opportunities if decisions are based on the product lifecycle concept, and would be better off using an information system for each product when deciding whether to promote or cut cost (Dhalla Yuspeh, 2009). Boston Matrix Developed by a large US consulting group, the Boston matrix is a strategic planning tool that base around a products market growth rate and market share when determining a marketing strategy (Donald , Hambrick, MacMillan, Diana, 1982). Each product is analysed in terms of relative market share and market growth and placed onto a matrix, where it can be classified into four categories: stars, cash cows, problem child/question mark and dogs. As seen in fig 3. Figure Source: http://www.learnpremium.co.uk/cima/lesson2/page3.aspx Stars are highly successful products with good prospects for growth and high share of the market, although they may use more cash than they generate in order to finance growth and increase capacity. Stars have the potential to become cash cows, where they have the dominant shares in the market but low growth, and more cash are generated than needed to maintain market share. With low market share and low potential for growth, products that are classified as dogs should be eliminated as they are likely to not generate cash for the company. Problem children, sometime called question marks, are products with low share of a high growth market. Some of the problem children can be turned into stars, which is why some companies still invests in them, although there is also a risk of them turning into dogs instead. The current generation consoles (the Wii and Nintendo DS range) from Nintendo can be generally be classified as cash cows, as they have the biggest share of their market but the markets are no longer growing as fast as it used to be. One of the dogs of the company would be the Game Boy Advance range (including Game Boy Advance SP and Game Boy Micro), the predecessor of the Nintendo DS range, sales and market share have dropped after the introduction of the newer versions of the DS range. An example of the question mark product would be Nintendo DSi XL, which is a newer version of the DS range that provides all the features of the Nintendo DSi along with bigger screens. It was released in November 2009, and its future is still unsure as consumers could prefer spending less on older versions that gives similar experience, rendering the DSi XL unnecessary (i.e. becoming a dog), or could potentially replace the older models and become a cash cow in future. The stars of Nintendo can be de monstrated by some of Nintendos video game software developed by its first-party studios, such as the Wii Fit, which was the third highest selling Wii game as of May 2010 (Nintendo Co., Ltd, 2010). Nevertheless, like the product life cycle model it was based on, Boston matrix, with only two dimensions (market share and market growth) is still too simplistic to use alone in making strategic decisions (Majluf, 1983). It also assumes that high market share is always related to higher rates of profit or the only success factor, and that the attractiveness of a market is not only indicated by its growth. For instance, although compared to the fast growing mainstream, casual gaming market with its large market size potential, the traditional hard-core gamer market with its narrower demographic could be seen as much less attractive. However, the latter group would also be willing to pay more for a higher specification console, and their purchase are less likely to be effected by the economic conditions in the same way that has impacted the decision of the casual gamers. Also, despite a general interpretation that dogs should be eliminated, some dog products could be part of a successf ul product mix, and their existence could serve as one of the motivating factors for consumers to purchase a particular product from the company. An example can be shown from Nintendos accessory sector, where market research has shown low market growth and low interest in accessories overall. However, many customers who chose to purchase Nintendo Wii could be influenced by the fact that parts can be replaced and purchased if required, i.e. extra controls are available for purchase should the customer want to play multi-player games. Despite its weaknesses, the Boston matrix can still serve as a simple and efficient tool to help Nintendo to predict where a product is at in its product lifecycle, for instance, question marks can be said to be on the launch stage, the stars are at the growth stage and cash cows are likely to be on the maturity stage. Ansoff Matrix The previous two marketing tools can help companies to identify the stages their products are at, but does little to help the managers formulating on a set of strategies to achieve growth. The Ansoff matrix is a tool that aids companies in making decisions on how to achieve growth depending on the product and the market it targets (Ansoff, 1965). It can be shown in a chart below, as seen in fig. 4. Figure Source: http://tutor2u.net/business/strategy/ansoff_matrix.htm The four strategic choices from the Ansoff matrix are: market penetration, product development, market development and diversification. Market penetration is considered when marketing existing products to existing consumers, this can be achieved through promotions or repositioning the brand. For instance, after it was clear that Nintendos static consoles could not compete in terms of specifications (i.e. powerful processing capacity) with Sony and Microsoft within the hard-core gaming sector (Mintel Oxygen, 2008), the company repositioned its brand to appeal more to the wider public and families in order to increase sales. Product development occurs when companies market new products in existing markets. Within the video game console market, newer models are introduced in order to compete better with the latest features on the market. Within the Nintendo DS range, new models are released almost every year; starting from the original Nintendo DS at release, then the handheld console became smaller with the DS Lite, later a webcam was added on to open up new possibilities with several games in the DSi model, and the current model, DSi XL features a bigger screen for players. All these models compete in the handheld video game console market along with Sonys PSP, with each model offering a slightly different experience to the consumer, but still in the same generation of the video game consoles (Mintel Oxygen, 2010). Market development happens when companies seek growth by introducing existing products in new markets. This can be demonstrated when companies export their products into another country or region, thereby entering a new market. Nintendos consoles and games are usually released in Japan first; the companys home market, before launching and promote them overseas. Lastly, diversification is when the company choose to market completely new products into new markets. This could be within the same industry as the existing products or going into an unrelated industry or sector. Nintendo first started out as a playing card company in the late 19th Century before it diversified into to the video gaming market by launching its first video game console, but still remained within the wider Toys and Games industry. As with the other tools, there are limitations and disadvantages on using the Ansoff matrix. Once again, the format of the two-by-two design similar to the Boston matrix can be too simplistic, and that the real-world markets and decisions are much more complex. Such as that diversification may contain many risks, i.e. lack of knowledge and experience of the new market, and that it may not be the best strategy for growth for some companies with limited resources. Also, although the Ansoff matrix can be used to identify the strategic path products may follow, and as with the Boston matrix can help simplify overly complex scenarios for easy and prompt analysis; it does not provide the marketing options which mangers will need to make based on a wider and extensive research of the company and the market. Combining the tools All the strategic marketing tools evaluated here have both benefits and disadvantages to Nintendo. Also, the market conditions can transform over time, such as changes in trend, technological advances and economic conditions (Pride Ferrell, 2008). Therefore, in order to help managers to effectively manage and develop individual products and product portfolios, the best approach will likely to involve using a number of tools. This section will look at how different marketing tools discussed previously along with other concepts can be used together by Nintendo in managing its products as well as developing new ones. Product management Product management can consist of planning, forecasting and marketing of a product in order to achieve the companys objectives. Nintendo may use the tools mentioned before to help it to paint an overall view of its products. By using the Boston matrix on all Nintendos products that are currently on the market, one can find that there are some in each of the four categories, and some may lie on the lines between two classifications. As mentioned in the introduction, the concept of product is not limited to just goods and service, and Nintendo has many products in its product portfolio. The Pokà ©mon game brand were often referred to as one of Nintendos biggest cash cows by the gaming community, with each release for various platforms and little changes to the content and gameplay providing huge profit for the company. Therefore, for the Pokà ©mon range, Nintendo may opt to spend relatively less investment in product development and promotion to maintain sales, and use the cash generated on investing in new innovations and other less successful products. The Boston matrix will also help Nintendo to identify what stage of the product lifecycle some of their products are currently in. When looking at the product lifecycle of the current generation of consoles, the slow sales growth indicates maturity of the market and the product. Therefore, Nintendo should consider developing the next generation consoles. However, care should be taken in using the product lifecycle as not all products share the same trend. To get an accurate view on what stage of the product lifecycle a console is in, and also when it will move to the next stage, instead of only relying on the Ansoff matrix and market data, Nintendo could also compare it to its predecessors, i.e. the Wii compared with Nintendo GameCube and the DS with Gameboy, as the product lifecycle of similar products within similar markets should be more closely related; though Nintendo should still be aware of some of the major differences in market and competition, such as changes in demographics of Nintendos customers and Sonys entrance into the handheld market with PSP, when comparing current generation of consoles with t he last ones. Product development Should Nintendo decide to go into product development; could be in an attempt to extend the product lifecycle of an existing product or to introduce a new product onto the market (based on Ansoff matrixs view of product development), there would also be number of considerations that needs to be taken. The company could choose to either make modifications to an existing line or to release a completely new product to replace the old one. For instance, if Nintendo want to extend the product lifecycle of its Pokà ©mon game brand by boosting sales, the company would make a new release of another version of the existing games. Such move would not require a huge investment in product development, as the concept already exist and proven to be hugely successful with a large base of loyal customers willing to get the latest version, so small changes such as packaging, improving the graphic to adapt to the latest console, and small modifications to the storyline, would be sufficient enough to release another best-selling game onto the market. Figure Developing a completely new product such as the next generation of consoles would require a much bigger investment and time. Firstly, the company will need to make sure it has done the market research required to understand the market, in order to take advantage of the companys strengths. So far, Nintendo has been successful in expanding the market by identify attracting more casual gamers from the older generation and families, thus focusing on improving gaming experience around a wider group in order to make up for its loss of appeal (due to lower performance power) from the traditional hard-core gamers. The Kanos Model as shown in fig. 5 on product development and customer satisfaction (Bergman, 2003) can be used to help Nintendo to assess the requirements of the new consoles or other products. For instance, some of the expected needs could be better graphics and performance than the previous consoles. The company may also need to assess the technology available on the market and the limitations of developing new ones. Nintendo has already announced its next generation handheld console, the Nintendo 3DS, which apparently is capable giving 3D visualisations on displays without glasses (Nintendo Co., Ltd, 2010). How well the company has evaluated its customer needs and expectations will be reflected on the success or failure (like the Virtual boy) after the product is available on the market. Conclusion Overall, the Ansoff matrix can be used as a framework for deciding upon strategies based on whether the market and the product is new or existing, the Boston matrix can be used to predict where a product is at its lifecycle based on relative market share and market growth rate, and the Product lifecycle can help companies to decide on a marketing strategy depending on the stage a product is in, although not all products go through each stage in the same way. All three tools are too simplistic and do not take into account of many real-world factors, thus extensive research on the wider market and the company is required before making strategic decisions. After evaluating the strategic marketing tools and applying them to Nintendo and its products, I believe that the best approach in managing and developing products or product portfolios is to not make judgements and strategic decisions based on one or two tools and concepts, but to use a combination of them. While managing existing products using the tools discussed here as well as extensive market research, Nintendo may decide to make modifications to its products or extend its line with a new product. Also, with the changing market conditions, Nintendo may find that it will need to change its strategic marketing approach overtime in order to adapt and manage risk to effectively manage and develop individual products and product portfolios.

The Essential Role of Servants in the Victorian Family :: Jane Eyre

The Essential Role of Servants in the Victorian Family    I desired liberty; for liberty I gasped; for liberty I uttered a prayer; it seemed scattered on the wind then faintly blowing. I abandoned it and framed a humbler supplication; for change, stimulus: that petition too seemed swept off into vague space; "Then" I cried, half desperate, "Grant me at least a new servitude." ( Bronte 93; ch. 10) Jane was not approaching any new territory when she wanted a new servitude. In fact 12.8 percent of the female population in England and Wales were engaged in domestic service in the nineteenth century (Horn 24). In nineteenth-century England, for any household with social pretensions at least one domestic servant was essential. The guide to the social status of a well-off Victorian family was the status of the domestics employed (Horn 18). Well-to-do families employed as large a staff as they could afford, while middle-class families held to the minimum of one (Horn 18). There were many types of servants, among them the housekeeper, and the nurse (Horn 49). On the female side of the domestics there were numerous servants. Since this essay is not concerned with male domestics, only a list of female domestics is provided. Female domestics would include the housekeeper, the cook, lady’s maid, nurse, housemaids, kitchenmaids, scullery-maids and laundry staff (Horn 49). The housekeeper was responsible for hiring and dismissing the female staff. The housekeeper was expected to be a "steady middle-aged woman . . . morally exemplary and assiduous to the harmony, comfort, and economy of the family" (Horn 54). Most often a housekeeper would stay with the same family for several years, forming a close bond with the family (Horn 57). If the family came into financial trouble a loyal housekeeper might stay behind as a general servant, while the rest of the staff would be dismissed. Housekeepers that worked for kin were either unmarried daughters of any age or widows (Hill 119). Middle and upper class families with children also kept a nurse maid. She would be a young girl under the age of twenty. The nursemaid was responsible for dressing and undressing the children, playing with them, and taking them out of a walk (Horn 66). The nursemaid was often spent more time with the children then their own mother. She acted as a mother figure, performing most if not all of the duties that belong to the mother.

Speech on Marijuana Legalization

A well-known issue, right now, in the USA is that of the legalization of marijuana. This controversial topic is on the minds of our entire country. Whether or not to legalize marijuana has been a nation wide debate for years. In this informative speech I will be discussing only facts and opinions. Opinions and facts will come from organizations such as The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, Marijuana Legalization Organization and the Drug Policy Alliance. Marijuana Legalization is an issue because there are so many individuals using the substance illegally. These individuals feel that Marijuana is not a harmful substance and can serve to profit states that legalize it. The biggest concern on everyone’s mind is that of health risks. Most people feel that it is in the best interest of the nation for marijuana to remain illegal. Marijuana Legalization Organization states that that is not entirely true. â€Å"Health considerations provide arguments to avoid excessive use of marijuana, but ultimately each individual should be allowed the personal freedom to decide whether or not to use marijuana. (MLO) In their opinion, as with anything taken in excess, marijuana is only harmful to those who choose to use it. The example used in MLO is that of an excess amount of unhealthy food. â€Å"[N]umerous studies have shown that foods with a lot of cholesterol and fat are unhealthy. Should we outlaw bacon? †(MLO) The thought is that instead we need to educate individuals and let people make their own decisions as we do with things like fatty foods, cigarettes and Alcohol. â€Å"A recent survey of research found that long term marijuana use did not have a significant effect on cognitive abilities. The report was published in the July 2003 Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society. † This is also stated in the list of facts about marijuana on the Drug Policy Alliance Website. They state that, not only are there no long-term cognitive impairment but, â€Å"[m]arijuana has been proven helpful for treating the symptoms of a variety of medical conditions. † Medical marijuana has proven to be of significant relief for cancer, glaucoma, and aids patients as well as individuals that suffer from neurological disorders. While there are the medical reliefs from the use of Medical marijuana, but DPA also states that the substance has not shown cause of mental illness or to increase risk to cancer. The next claim is that Marijuana is a gateway drug. Webster defines a gateway drug to be â€Å"a drug (as alcohol or marijuana) whose use is thought to lead to the use of and dependence on a harder drug (as cocaine or heroin)†( http://www. merriam-webster. com/) â€Å"Some people claim that using marijuana will make you want to use other drugs, like heroin, cocaine, LSD, amphetamines, and ecstasy. They argue that marijuana acts as a stepping-stone, or a gateway, that leads people to harder drugs. They support their argument with statistics that show that most people who use hard drugs have tried marijuana before. † (MLO) â€Å"There is no conclusive evidence that the effects of marijuana are causally linked to the subsequent use of other illicit drugs. Preliminary animal studies alleging that marijuana â€Å"primed† the brain for other drug-taking behavior have not been replicated, nor are they supported by epidemiological human data. Statistically, for every 104 Americans who have tried marijuana, there is only one regular user of cocaine, and less than one user of heroin. Marijuana is clearly a â€Å"terminus† rather than a gateway for the overwhelming majority of marijuana smokers. † (norml) MLO states â€Å"In essence, the link between marijuana and other illegal drugs stems from the fact that they are illegal. Because they are illegal, marijuana and other drugs are only available on the black market, and anyone who enters the drug market is likely to be exposed to more than one drug. The solution is simple: by legalizing and regulating marijuana sales, we will eliminate the connection to hard drugs. † (MLO) They use Holland as an example. â€Å"In Holland, where politicians decided over 25 years ago to separate marijuana from the illicit drug market by permitting coffee shops all over the country to sell small amounts of marijuana to adults, individuals use marijuana and other drugs at rates less than half of their American counterparts. † (norml. rg) The argument is that, if marijuana were not illegal it would not be a problem. The DPA website states that the majority of the individuals that use marijuana never even use any other illicit drugs. This statement disproves that common misconception about marijuana being a gateway drug. Finally my sources argue that keeping marijuana illegal it is costing more than necessary. MLO claims that â€Å"Cost of keeping marijuana illegal = cost of active law enforcement + cost of prosecution (and defense! of a ccused offenders + cost of incarceration of convicted offenders + hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue that would be generated if drugs were legal and taxed + cost of foster care and social services for children of incarcerated offenders. † â€Å"Washington state would save about $105 million a year if marijuana were legally regulated, according to University of Washington Economics professor Dick Startz. † â€Å"The US Federal Government Spends More Than $12 Billion Per Year on Drug Control Programs. Federal drug control budgets do not separate spending by drug, so we there is not a precise figure available for the amount that is spent on marijuana alone. Also, these figures do not include any spending by state or local governments, which are likely to be substantial since state police, courts, and prisons are constantly busy dealing with marijuana offenses. † They also state that â€Å"US Marijuana Crop Estimated to Be Worth Over $35 Billion. A new statistical analysis indicates that marijuana is America's most valuable cash crop. If these figures are even close to the truth, a logical system to regulate and tax marijuana would produce billions of dollars in revenue every year. † According to DPA, the fight that the United States is having against drugs in all is costing $51,000,000,000. They also stated that if California would profit annually an estimated $1,400,000,000 if marijuana were taxed and regulated. There are only two major solutions to this issue; to Legalize or not to legalize that is the question. Legalization could stand to earn the US economic growth but it could also lead to even more people using or abusing the substance. Keeping it illegal could have the government spending money that they don’t necessarily need to spend to regulate the use of this substance or this could be positive a by keeping individuals from abusing it. Only time will tell! Does anyone have any questions?

Double-Edged Sword Essays

Double-Edged Sword Essays Double-Edged Sword Paper Double-Edged Sword Paper The evolution of the world and its civilizations is galvanized by continual scientific and technological progress, which is brought about by the vast reservoir of knowledge that humankind has gained over the centuries in countless attempts to quench their insatiable thirst for the ultimate key that will unlock all the secrets of life. In the last few decades, men and women of science who are determined to fully unveil the mysteries of the universe were already able to take evolution to a whole new level- one that is closer to its culmination. They were able to discover the amazing ability of defying nature and manipulating those which holds the code to the individual characteristics of every living organism: genes. Genetic engineering, or gene manipulation, was once but a very popular element of science fictions and films; now, it has been lifted off the pages and television screens, and has become a reality that can actually help humanity overcome many of its imperfections. However, as this truth shows only a small part of the big picture, the capability of modifying the biological makeup of organisms has generated conflicting views from society. It is best to acknowledge the fact that while recent breakthroughs have presented us with unforeseen promises, they have, at the same time, given us complex predicaments. The educational film DNA: The Promise and the Price introduces the viewers to four immensely powerful molecular biology techniques that may just as well decide the world’s future. With genetic engineering still in its premature stage, only time can tell whether its potential to improve medical technologies- and, subsequently, human lives- outweighs all the socio-ethical, political, and health repercussions that come with it. Cloning, perhaps the most famous genetic engineering technology of this time, is the process of producing an organism that is genetically identical to its progenitor by vegetative reproduction or a laboratory technique. It holds several medical benefits that once existed only in dreams, books, and movies. For instance, human therapeutic cloning can provide genetically identical cells from embryonic tissues for regenerative medicine, as well as new, healthy tissues and organs that can be used for transplantation. As such, cloning technologies can actually contribute greatly in the research and development for genetic diseases, as well as serious diseases such as cancer, heart diseases, and diabetes. The capability of generating artificial human cells can also lead to further improvements in cosmetic and reconstructive surgeries and burn treatments. Human reproductive cloning, meanwhile, could allow infertile couples to have children with at least some of their DNA. People could even clone themselves to be able to create the â€Å"perfect descendant† for them, or even the loved ones that they have lost to ease the pain of bereavement. However, the main argument against cloning is the fact that it is unethical and morally repugnant to use a human clone to save a life. A clone, though artificially made, is still a life form just like any other human being. To produce and later kill it merely for the sake of our needs would therefore be tantamount to committing a sin. Also, early experiments are most likely to result in a number of clinical failures and lead to miscarriage, the necessity of dozens or even hundreds of abortions, or births of massively deformed offspring. But problems with regards to early experiments pale in comparison to the socio-ethical issues that would surely arise should cloning succeed in producing a healthy child, and become part of the repertoire of new reproductive technologies presently offered to those with sufficient funds. Worse, society would be at a lost as to how to treat human clones. Another product of years of extensive research in genetic engineering is gene therapy, which involves the treatment of a genetic disease through the insertion of normal or genetically altered genes into cells and tissues in order to repair damaged or replace missing genes. It is seen as a potential cure for genetic disorders such as hemophilia, cystic fibrosis, severe combined immunodeficiency, etc. Genes and artificial chromosomes can also be inserted into embryos in a process known as germ-line gene therapy. This could be used to cure genetic disorders, including behavioral disorders such as schizophrenia, or to insert genes which enhance intelligence or athletic performance. The benefits of these genetic changes would be passed on to later generations. Nevertheless, gene therapy is far from perfect; in fact, it has caused the death of many patients who wished to cure themselves of their genetic disorders. Viruses, while the carrier of choice in most gene therapy studies, unfortunately presents a variety of potential problems to the patient, such as toxicity and immune and inflammatory responses. This medical procedure also has several limitations, such as its short-lived nature, as well as the fact this treatment is most suitable only for diseases that resulted from mutations in a single gene. It would be extremely difficult for gene therapy to effectively treat some of the most commonly occurring multi-factorial disorders such as heart diseases and diabetes, which are caused by the combined effects of variations in may genes. The next technique discussed in the film, RNA interference, can be used as a means of silencing gene expression. This can be harnessed to allow specific inhibitions of the function of any chosen target genes, including those involved in causing diseases such as cervical cancer and hepatitis. However, like gene therapy, success is only more likely in those diseases with a simple genetic basis rather than in complex multi-gene disorders. Diseases involving sites where delivery of synthetic RNA is more straightforward will also be more likely to be effectively treated. Also, geneticists are still in the process of improving the RNA interference technique so that they can ensure the procedure’s ability to selectively target cancer cells without destroying any normal cells. The last, and perhaps the most amazing, genetic technology shown in the film is stem cell therapy. Since stem cells are capable of being differentiated into basically all types of cells, they offer so much promise in the development of medical treatments for a wide range of conditions, including heart and brain diseases. Much success and potential has been demonstrated from research using adult stem cells. For instance, many patients with heart diseases who have resorted to stem cell therapy have made great progress in that more of their heart tissues are contracting normally. However- and this is where the controversy lies- the differentiation potential of embryonic stem cells is broader than most adult stem cells. It divides more rapidly than adult stem cells, potentially making it easier to generate a larger number of cells for therapeutic means. As such, it is the most versatile stem cells which can be eventually used to create a new organ. As such, scientists are looking into the use of embryonic stem cells, which could possibly lead to the creation of artificial, healthy organs in a few decade’s time. But, there is a price to be paid: sacrificial lives, in the form of embryos. Harvesting of embryonic stem cells can result in the destruction of human embryos, and even if clone embryos are used, they still count as human lives. As such, it would be very difficult for society to be able to swallow and accept such an immoral way of saving lives, especially those who believe that the end does not justify the means. As can be see, the promise of genetically modifying humans to improve their well being and to treat debilitating illnesses are becoming a reality. By delving deeper into the world of genetics, newfound knowledge may also enable us to go so far as to engineer our own genetic blueprints- to enhance our physical attributes and mental capabilities; to choose the sex, hair and eye color, and even the personality of our children; and, maybe- just maybe- to create seemingly perfect human beings with superpowers. However, despite the enormous amount of development in the field, our moral understanding and awareness is still limited in scope. Our ethical values are still not capable of providing us with adequate tools needed to address the socio-ethical problems posed by advances in genetics. As science outpaces moral understanding, scientists and ethicists are pitted against one another in their struggle to stand by what they believe is for the greater good and to articulate their concerns. While as proponents argue that genetic engineering can prevent and cure more diseases, ethicists believe that the risks- particularly the sacrifice of human lives to save those of others, as well as the after effects of manipulating that which has been ordained by nature- far outweigh the benefits. Humans have the natural tendency to abuse, and as such, the consequential misuse of genetic technologies is but inevitable. For instance, designer babies may be the realization of parents’ dreams for their children to be the best of the best, but altering a baby’s genetic traits and manipulating our own nature may demean the uniqueness of each individual and can therefore undermine our humanity. Children may, in effect, become mere consumer goods for ambitious parents. Gene manipulation, which is seen as a manifestation of the human desire to play God, is capable of entailing horrible social consequences. Society might just be divided between genetically modified humans whose abilities are enhanced and normal humans who don’t possess the same superhuman qualities. Worse, those who are lacking the genetic advantage might just end up becoming the inferior beings, living in a dreadful society with a lot of unimaginable problems. A future driven by genetic revolution seemed bright and wonderful; however, if society fails to expand its moral awareness to cope with the ethical questions that comes with this scientific development, the forces of nature might just catch us off-guard and backlash with a vengeance that we couldn’t possibly escape from. From this, it is apparent that gene manipulation can be likened to a double-edged sword- a weapon lethal against enemies, but with a great risk: it can just as easily kill the one who wields it.