Developing An Advocacy Campaign

1 Your paper is too long. Please be concise. -2. Please see comments on your paper. Each correction wil

ORDER A PLAGIARISM FREE PAPER NOW

l be identified the first time. Your responsibility is to make corrections throughout each section and have a clean copy of the final paper submitted. AUDIT your work with each assignment. Use all the tools available to you in the Assignment Toolbox and refer to all aid given in the identified correction. Advocacy Campaign on Synthetic Drugs uummhhccttllvvvWalden University NURS 6050-48 Health Advocacy and Policy Dr. Joan Moon September 22, 2018 2 Advocacy Campaign on Synthetic Drugs Drug and substance abuse remains a significant concern in the United States. More so it is imperative to point out that the abuse of synthetic drugs (illegal) which poses similar characteristics as the narcotics but with altered chemical structures is on the rise and poses a health hazard to the population. Synthetic drugs contain toxic chemicals made to replicate 9tetrahydrocannabinol, while the drugs are manufactured to look harmless; the drugs remain untested and thus unsafe for consumption. Also, synthetic cannabinoids are known to cause adverse neurologic and sympathomimetic effects (Buser, Horowitz, Vian, Troxell, Hendrickson, Houghton, Rozansky, & Leman, 2014). The purpose of this paper is to examine the current consumption of synthetic drugs by youths and young adults, identify legislation related to the issue of synthetic drug use, institute a campaign associated with restraining the use of synthetic drugs while taking into account the legal considerations and ethical dilemmas involved. Population Health Issue and Population Affected Recently, there has been a significant rise in the abuse of synthetic drugs with a high prevalence among the young generation of teenagers, young adults of below 40 years and sportsmen and women. Healthcare providers and legal authorities have shown some concern when it comes to the alarming severity of the effects caused by synthetic drug abuse, and the growing number of cases of abuse (Spiller, Ryan, Weston, & Jansen, 2011). Congressional Research Service report that synthetic drugs effects may include drug-induced Psychosis, violent behavior by subjects, hallucinations, and headaches (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2017). Advocacy Programs Researched in this Area 3 Two advocacy campaigns were researched and found effective in curbing abuse of synthetic drugs, first is health education campaign and secondly is synthetic drugs awareness and mass media campaign. • Health Education Campaign seeks to champion for the inclusivity of health education in all learning institution as a compulsory subject. Such an undertaking would ensure students are apprised of the ramifications of abusing drugs and the importance of abstaining from them. • Awareness and mass media campaign seeks to create awareness of the existence of the synthetic drugs in the community and market. As pointed out earlier, synthetic drugs are manufactured and disguised as designer drugs thus teenagers may consume them unknowingly and later become addicted. Effective Attributes of the Programs Effective attributes of the campaign are that they are based on available disputable facts and are informative to the population. • The education advocacy campaign would be carried out in schools, sport, and recreational centers, college campus awareness events, in the streets through walks and public crusades and door to door campaign. • The education campaign allows close interaction with teenagers thus providing an opportunity to receive and answer any questions relating to synthetic drugs. • Close interaction with students and teenagers offers a good opportunity to identify those who may be engaging in the drug abuse and thus take steps to help them rescind from such behavior. 4 The second campaign involves the use of technological support and mass media; the campaign is tailored to educate teenagers and young adults of between 14 to 30 years as well as parents and teachers on the various facts behind the manufacture distribution and consumption of prescription drugs. It involves; • Use of informative television adverts, use of blogs and vlogs, pamphlets and brochures, newspapers and drug factsheets. • Blogs, vlogs and drug factsheets will also contain real-time stories from important figures in the society and role models to the youth who will pass information to the teenagers concerning the use of synthesized drugs. Health Advocacy Campaign An effective health advocacy campaign would be one that deters purchasing of the drugs and also inspires addicts and synthetic drugs users to seek help on how to stop. Drug Abuse Education and Mass Media Campaign are effective since they have an overreaching effect and allow discussion of the drug abuse subjects in ways easily understood and appreciated by the youth. Public Health Issue Consumption of synthetic drugs by youth and teenagers has detrimental effects on their physical, emotional and psychological health. Such effects that affect their behavior may impact negatively on their education with some youth’s dropping out of schools. Some effects of synthetic drugs such as hallucinations and violent behavior may put youths into conflict with the criminal justice system leading to arrests and incarceration. The youth continue to use synthetic drugs due to lack of information. 5 Proposed Policy Solution According to Kindig, Asada, and Booske (2008), the primary purpose of population health policy is to improve the health of individuals and populations by investments in the determinants of health through policies and interventions that influence these determinants. Three chief policies are relevant and effective in curbing the abuse of synthetic drugs. 1. Drug abuse should be included in health education and made mandatory to all learning institution. The aforementioned is to accord student’s opportunity to learn what prescriptions drugs entail and can thus evade them. 2. Recognition by government and support of organizations raising awareness on synthetic drug preventions and provision of health education outside formal government frameworks such as health organizations and non- governmental organizations. 3. Support for the passing of the H.R 2900: Synthetic Drug Prevention, Treatment, and Education Act which provides for health education on synthetic drugs through setting up of a database where all information concerning the drugs can be accessed (Congress.gov, 1017). Legislation moves in line with the Health Advocacy Campaign of raising awareness, educating and rehabilitating those already affected. Objectives for the Policy to Be Implemented Separating policies from politics can sometimes be difficult due to the complex process of implementing a policy (Milstead & Short, 2019). The objectives will be to; 6 • Provide health education and raise awareness about the nature and the effects of synthetic drugs to teenagers, youths, and parents through the mandatory introduction of health education to all learning institutions within the first two years. • Be able to stop the purchases of synthetic drugs and offer help to those affected two to five years after the implementation of health education in schools. How Information will be Conveyed to Various Stakeholder Within the healthcare system, stakeholders have a significant impact on how are done (Knickman & Kovner, 2015). The stakeholders in this policy campaign would involve the providers, government officials, educators, manufacturers, and the distributors of these synthetic drugs. Mass media will be the chief means of channeling information, especially to parents and youth. Youth who have withdrawn from abuse of synthetic drugs will be approached to aid in the compilation of recovery stories to be used in motivating synthetic drug addicts. Legislators will be given the information through formal letters and newspapers. Data and Evidence to Substantiate the Campaign 11% of American high schoolers used synthetic marijuana in 2011 according to The National Institute of Drug Abuse (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2018). While the Congress passed the Synthetic Drug Abuse Prevention Act in 2012 and the Synthetic Drug Control Act of 2015enlisting various drugs into schedule 1 of controlled substances more needs to be done. Since the synthetic drugs are altered and disguised as either consumables or non-consumables legislation should be enforced enlisting not only the known synthetic drugs but also those drugs manufactured to mimic the effects of illegalized or controlled drugs. The Health Advocacy campaign seeks to reduce Synthetic drug abuse through equipping knowledge, changing 7 behavior and attitudes as well as beliefs of the teenagers and youths (European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, 2013). Summary Lack of information concerning synthetic drugs leads to duping of youth into consuming drugs disguised as recreational drugs. The education and mass media campaigns seek to enlighten the young generations of the dangers the drugs have on their health and social lives. Further the campaign champions for close regulation and illegalization of drugs that mimic illegalized drugs by the government. Running the above campaigns guarantees a reduction in purchases and use of synthetic drugs. 8 References Buser, G. L., Gerona, R. R., Horowitz, B. Z., Vian, K. P., Troxell, M. L., Hendrickson, R. G., … Leman, R. F. (2014). Acute kidney injury associated with smoking synthetic cannabinoid. Clinical Toxicology (Philadelphia, Pa.), 52(7), 664–673. https://doiorg.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/10.3109/15563650.2014.932365 Congress.gov. (1017). H.R.2900 – Synthetic Drug Prevention, Treatment, and Education Act115th Congress (2017-2018). Retrieved September 10th, 2018, from Congress.gov: https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/2900 European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction. (2013). Mass media campaigns for the prevention of drug use in young people. European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, 5. Kindig, D., Asada, Y., & Booske, B. (2008). A population health framework for setting national and state health goals. JAMA, 299(17), 2081–2083. Retrieved from the Walden Library databases. Knickman, J. R., & Kovner, A. R. (Eds.). (2015). Health care delivery in the united states (11th ed.). New York, NY: Springer Publishing National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2017). Health Consequences of Drug Misuse. Retrieved September 10th, 2018, from National Institute on Drug Abuse: https://www.drugabuse.gov/related-topics/health-consequences-drug-misuse National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2018). Synthetic Marijuana Lands Thousands of Young People in the ER, Especially Young Males. Retrieved September 10th, 2018, from 9 National Institute on Drug Abuse: https://www.drugabuse.gov/related-topics/trendsstatistics/infographics/synthetic-marijuana-lands-thousands-young-people-in-erespecially-young-males Milstead, J.A. & Short, N.M. (2019). Health policy and politics: A nurses’ guide (6th ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers Spiller, H. A., Ryan, M. L., Weston, R. G., & Jansen, J. (2011). Clinical experience with and analytical confirmation of “bath salts” and “legal highs” (synthetic cathinones) in the United States. Clinical Toxicology (Philadelphia, Pa.), 49(6), 499–505. https://doiorg.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/10.3109/15563650.2011.59081 Correct all subsequent errors like those previously identified. 10 Show Descriptions Quality of Work Submitted: The extent of which work meets the assigned criteria and work reflects graduate level critical and analytic thinking.-Levels of Achievement: Excellent 27 (27%) – 30 (30%) Good 24 (24%) – 26 (26%) Fair 21 (21%) – 23 (23%) Poor 0 (0%) – 20 (20%) Quality of Work Submitted: The purpose of the paper is clear.-Levels of Achievement: Excellent 5 (5%) – 5 (5%) Good 4 (4%) – 4 (4%) Fair 3.5 (3.5%) – 3.5 (3.5%) Poor 0 (0%) – 3 (3%) Assimilation and Synthesis of Ideas: The extend to which the work reflects the student’s ability to: Understand and interpret the assignment’s key concepts.-Levels of Achievement: Excellent 9 (9%) – 10 (10%) Good 8 (8%) – 8 (8%) Fair 7 (7%) – 7 (7%) Poor 0 (0%) – 6 (6%) Assimilation and Synthesis of Ideas: The extend to which the work reflects the student’s ability to: Apply and integrate material in course resources (i.e. video, required readings, and textbook) and credible outside resources.-Levels of Achievement: 11 Excellent 18 (18%) – 20 (20%) Good 16 (16%) – 17 (17%) Fair 14 (14%) – 15 (15%) Poor 0 (0%) – 13 (13%) Assimilation and Synthesis of Ideas: The extend to which the work reflects the student’s ability to: Synthesize (combines various components or different ideas into a new whole) material in course resources (i.e. video, required readings, textbook) and outside, credible resources by comparing different points of view and highlighting similarities, differences, and connections.-Levels of Achievement: Excellent 18 (18%) – 20 (20%) Good 16 (16%) – 17 (17%) Fair 14 (14%) – 15 (15%) Poor 0 (0%) – 13 (13%) Written Expression and Formatting Paragraph and Sentence Structure: Paragraphs make clear points that support well developed ideas, flow logically, and demonstrate continuity of ideas. Sentences are clearly structured and carefully focused–neither long and rambling nor short and lacking substance.-Levels of Achievement: Excellent 5 (5%) – 5 (5%) Good 4 (4%) – 4 (4%) Fair 3.5 (3.5%) – 3.5 (3.5%) Poor 0 (0%) – 3 (3%) Written Expression and Formatting English writing standards: Correct grammar, mechanics, and proper punctuation-Levels of Achievement: Excellent 5 (5%) – 5 (5%) Good 4 (4%) – 4 (4%) Fair 3.5 (3.5%) – 3.5 (3.5%) 12 Poor 0 (0%) – 3 (3%) Written Expression and Formatting The paper follows correct APA format for title page, headings, font, spacing, margins, indentations, page numbers, running head, parenthetical/in-text citations, and reference list.-Levels of Achievement: Excellent 5 (5%) – 5 (5%) Good 4 (4%) – 4 (4%) Fair 3.5 (3.5%) – 3.5 (3.5%) Poor 0 (0%) – 3 (3%) Total Points: 100 Name: NURS_5050_Week_04_Application_Rubric
Purchase answer to see full attachment