How the Government Can Help Smokers

How the Government Can Help Smokers Free Online Research Papers Smoking has been a major problem in the United States for decades, by contributing to major health problems that are costly to treat and mostly end in death. For this reason, the government has passed legislation regarding smoking in the form of restrictions, education, and taxation. While this is an acceptable plan of attack in the road to smoking cessation, I believe that more can be done. If the government focused more on prevention, taxpayers’ dollars would be better utilized. In 1996, nearly two million people began smoking on a daily basis and a vast majority of them were under the age of eighteen. In the past, programs such as the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) program have been the sole preventative agent in schools nationwide. The focus of D.A.R.E. however was not specific to just smoking and incorporated other drugs like alcohol and marijuana. Also, as D.A.R.E. grew in popularity, it became gimmicky and watered down. States have seen this inefficiency of the D.A.R.E. program and have begun implementing smoking specific prevention programs. In California, a counteradvertising program showed marked success. It focused on the misleading claims and â€Å"deceptive practices undertaken by tobacco firms† (Government Programs, 2004). The government intervened though, and the program became less effective when the state legislature slashed its advertising budget from sixteen million dollars in 1991 to just over six-and-a-half millio n dollars in 1995. In-school programs have shown much success through repetition and when administered in a serious environment. Again however, budgets and standardized test mandates have taken precedence over programs geared toward social and personal responsibilities. Funding is always the major argument against the implementation of programs regardless of the evidence that supports them. Consider this though, tobacco use has been identified as â€Å"the foremost cause of cancer deaths† (Government Programs, 2004). That too costs money. It is expensive for those who have to pay higher insurance premiums because high incidence tobacco related cancers. Money is also wasted in subsidies made to hospitals that treat patients for tobacco related illnesses that do not have health coverage. If the government would reallocate these funds to schools and other preventative programs, the taxpayers’ dollars would be more responsibly spent. There are ways to fund these programs that will not only continue in the prevention of new smokers, but will also reduce the number of current smokers reluctant to give up the habit. That solution is to raise the price of cigarettes by raising the excise taxes currently charged to the sale of tobacco products. This increase in taxes would result in an increase in revenue for states. The increased revenue could then be used to fund the programs that were previously mentioned. In addition, according to most economists, the increase in an excise tax would reduce the number of current smokers by four percent for every ten percent increase in cigarette prices. Taxation policies therefore could have dual benefits. While the government has taken some measures to curb tobacco use, there is more that can be done. There are programs that aide in the prevention of smoking. They can be costly, but not as costly as the treatment of those who fall ill as a result of their cigarette use. Furthermore, through taxation, the government could adequately fund these programs and reduce the number of current smokers. It is time that our leaders see this issue for what it is and act accordingly in its eradication. References Government programs can reduce smoking. (2004). Retrieved 28 Apr. 2008http//find.galegroup.com/ovrc/infomark.do?contentSet=GSRC type=retrievetablD=T010prodld=OVRCcocld+EJ3011270260souce=galesrcprod=OVRCuserGroupName=waynesburgversion=1.0 Research Papers on How the Government Can Help SmokersThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationStandardized TestingInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseTwilight of the UAWOpen Architechture a white paperDefinition of Export QuotasMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andPETSTEL analysis of India

8 Reasons No One Will Hire You

8 Reasons No One Will Hire You You’re still searching, still unemployed, and getting more and more frustrated by the day. Everybody tells you it’s a numbers game, a waiting game, and that as long as you are doing all the things you know you’re meant to be doing to get a job, that you’ll eventually get hired. There are, however, a few sneaky reasons why you just aren’t hirable. Perhaps there are a few things you are doing, unwittingly, that are compromising your prospects and sabotaging your search.Take a look at the following what-not-to-dos and make sure you aren’t guilty of any of them before you start blaming fate or the bad economy for your continued joblessness.1. You’re a little messy.It sounds sort of silly and, I don’t know, last century, but personal presentation actually can have a huge amount to do with the impression you make and your hirability. Are you clean? Smell nice? Wearing clean, pressed, well-fitting clothes? Great. Are you pierced or spo rting lots of visible tattoos? This, unfortunately (and yes, somewhat unfairly), can impact your chances- same with showing up unshaved.2.  You don’t prep well.If you’re not walking into every interview having done your homework- reading up on the company, your interviewer, and your industry- then you should be ashamed of yourself. Highly prepared candidates are going to be mopping the floor with you at every turn. If you find the whole process a little daunting, hire a career coach!3. You bombed the interview.Giving a good interview means showing up presentable, prepared, and having something to say. If you’re apathetic, unresponsive, monosyllabic, depressed, aggressive, apathetic, or show a bad attitude of any kind, you just will not get hired.Make sure your interviewer doesn’t have to pry answers out of you. Be prepared to answer truthfully and candidly- and without having to be coaxed. But also make sure not to talk too much, as that can swing you i n the opposite direction of bad interviewees. Remember, you’re being graded here on your communication skills- which are crucial! Prove that you have some. Ask a friend to mock interview you and diagnose your situation.5. You didn’t follow directions.Job postings are often very specific. If yours asks for a very specific task, say a one-page statement about something specific, or a particular piece of the application, don’t think you can disregard this and see what happens if and when you move forward. Failing to follow your first basic direction doesn’t bode well for a candidate and you likely will not make the first cut.6. You’re using an archaic job title.Your job title has been rendered obsolete- or is on the off in your industry. Whether your job is being phased out, or replaced by robots, or your industry is simply stagnating, you might want to consider switching tacks- or switching fields.7. You’re over- or under-qualified.You either applied as a shot in the dark or even you know that you’re hideously overqualified. Even if you’re desperate for a job, hiring managers are going to see your impressive resume and assume you’ll leave them for a better job at the earliest opportunity. Consult or lash out on your own- or wait for a job opening that more matches your skills. On the other hand, if you don’t meet at least 60% of the qualifications listed in a posting: don’t bother applying. You’re just wasting everybody’s time (including your own).8. You’re asking for too much money.Everyone is tightening their belts. Salaries are taking a bit of a dip across the board. So if you’re asking anything in the tens of thousands above the stated salary range, you might as well be shouting at the hiring manager not to take you seriously.10. You’re making it all about you.A little secret: the hiring process isn’t about you and your perfect elevator pitc h and your list of skills and experience. It’s about the company: a gap they need to fill, a problem they need to solve. Start thinking how you might help them rather than how they might help you by hiring you. And if you aren’t tailoring your materials for each individual job, then you’re never going to get anywhere- promise.