16. SOCIAL ISSUES
8. 2. 2009
16. SOCIAL ISSUES
DRUGS
ALCOHOLISM
CRIME
HOMELESSNESS
RACISM
UNEMPLOYMENT
1) DRUGS
It is a big problem nowadays.
We know: soft drugs (marijuana, hashish)
hard drugs (heroine, cocaine, metamphetamin, morphium, ecstasy)
Why do people take drugs?
Young people sometimes have problems with their parents or friends. They may feel lonely or disappointed with their life, love, or with the world. They may think they cannot find another solution that taking drugs. However, drugs cannot solve their problems, they can only cause more difficulties.
Some people just want to try it; they wonder what drugs make with them. Some people even find it fashionable to sniff, smoke or jab something.
Sometimes their bunch of friends forces them to try drugs. Some of them stop it at the right time, some not. Slowly, they become addicted to it.
They may start with soft drugs like marihuana. Someone believes a soft drug is no drug – but it is often only a beginning. Soon it is not enough for them, and they start to take a hard drug.
Overdose may lead to death.
Some symptoms are: red eyes, tiredness, joking, philosophizing, uncoordinated movements. Some drugs make people feel stronger, life seems to be no problem.
But in fact, they are endangered by cancer, depression, anxiety or even death. If they jab, they are endangered by AIDS or jaundice.
Drugs are expensive. The „junkies“ get them from dealers. Junkies have to get money somehow, so they often steal – taking drugs leads to criminality!
Young people should be well informed about drugs. You can see it on TV or read it in magazines. There are some special films for schools. You can see there junkies: what they look like and what drugs had made with them. The influences of particular drugs are explained there.
There are special centres for addicted people, called K-centrum. They provide health services (treatment, HIV tests), counselling services (social items and law) , hygiene (shower, laundry). Workers in these centres can help the addicted people find appropriate medical institution.
2) ALCOHOLISM
-people go to pubs to have a chat with friends; some of them drink at home; they drink beer, wine, vodka, gin, brandy, liquor…
- slowly, they become addicted
- sometimes they don’t realize that it has become a problem for them; it’s also a problem for the people around them
- drinking big amounts of alcohol leads to social and health problems:
- loss of work: if someone is drunk during work hours, he can lose his job
- it leads to financial problems, sometimes they even lose the roof over their
heads (= become homeless)
-driving: -drunk drivers may cause an accident, hurt themselves or someone else (then
they are locked up = they end up in prison), they forfeit their driving
licence
-behaviour: - drunk people lose controll easily; their judgment is reduced
- their behaviour affects their family and friends
- alcoholism can lead to divorce or domestic violence (they behave violently
at home) – a bad example for their children
Treatment:
-first the detoxification (called „detox“); after that the group therapy, psychotherapy - several alcoholics are treated together; they share past experiences, problems, solutions…
3) CRIME
- such people are called criminals
- they break in flats, houses, shops (after closing hour)
- they do shoplifting or pocket-picking
- they raid the banks and steal big amounts of money; sometimes they take
hostages
- they kidnap people; hijack airplanes
- the worst of them murder people (murderers; hitmen; snipers)
- reasons: they want to gain money; or they are extremely violent or devious
- they are mostly found by the police, arrested, judged and put in prison
4) HOMELESSNESS
- can be caused by a variety of problems
-causes of homelessness: -the poorest cannot afford housing
-mental illness, physical illness
- alcoholism, drug abuse
- they are unwilling to work
- some of them come back from prison and cannot re-enter
the society
- homeless people sleep under bridges, in trams, at stations, in parks
- there are sometimes violent crimes against the homeless
There are Homeless shelters (or refuges) where they can spend nights.
Homeless people are more likely to suffer medical problems from their lifestyles in the streets (they have poor nutrition, they have to rsist the bad weather conditions; they have not enough hygiene); sometimes they suffer from jaundice, tuberculosis
5) RACISM
- people, who hate people of different race, colour of skin, nationality or different ethnic origin, are called racists
- we mustn’t judge someone only by the colour of his skin (people may be black, white, yellow, red, or mulatto
- we should be aware of the fact, that people are different, but equal - all of us must have the same rights; a different colour of the skin is not a fault!
- we have to respect the diversity of people (different appearance, habits, customs, culture, religion)
- in the past, racism was a big problem: black people were brought from Africa to America
as slaves, because they were very tough and withstood very hard work (which lead to racism, because some white people considered them to be superior) – black people had to fight for their right (for example Martin Luther King)
- an extreme racism and nationalism of the Nazis lead to World War II – they targeted especially Jews; millions of them died in concentration camps (in Germany, Poland and the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia,…)
- nowadays, racism can be a problem in our country: groups of extreme nationalists are against Gipsies, Jews, Vietnamese or other minorities; they may be very dangerous.
6) UNEMPLOYMENT
People may lose their jobs easily. Sometimes they are made redundant, sometimes the company goes broke. If you are sacked, you have to register at Employment Office, which may offer you a new job. Sometimes you have to get a new qualification. The Employment Office offers specialized courses for people who would like to find a new job.
For several months you get your unemployment grant.
Unemployed people are in a bad position: materially and mentally.
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