The Ethical Dilemma Of The Indian Barial Contovers Essay Example For Students

The Ethical Dilemma Of The Indian Barial Contovers Essay y Grave desecration has been experiences in the United States for nearly two hundred tears without respect to Native Indians first amendment rights to freedom of religion. Indian spirituality is not free from ecology, they are part of the same system of the beliefs for Indians, and their spiritual beliefs are a significant part of their culture. Their beliefs operate in the present applying through space, to all people. Their views are global and everyone is perceived to live within these beliefs. Part of the spiritual/ecological process is confirmed within the role of their ancestors and traditions are held within these beliefs. American archeologists fell obligated to tell the story of pre-historic American peoples. Using scientific methods they trace through time within the study of ancient burials. They can accumulate data as to disease patterns, diet, environment, cultural, demographics and population changes. The continued uses of skeletal remains are detrimental to them, as research methods are updated and fields of interest evolve. Without hard resources, their work may come into question because they will have no original data source to state their claims of science and their research may come into question. Looking at science (archeology) as a belief system, they too are entitled to their first amendment right. Since prehistoric times, Native Americans have kept their stories alive without the written record but rather through oral tradition. Stories are handed down to generation after generation, and their ancestors buried are mistaken, by archeologists, as prehistoric peoples that have hidden secrets. Come of the natives do not see the benefit that archeology provides, because they are already aware of the cultural details that are unveiled through desecration. Since Indian values conflict with archeology, very few Indian students pursue it as a potential profession; while the archeologist view their research as beneficial to both traditions. Archeologists value what is a basic human right to the Indians established religious beliefs and practices regarding the dead. The gap between them needs to be bridged in order to resolve this on going dispute. One example between them is the Navajo Nation Archeological Department (NNAD). The NNADs long-term objective is to train Navajos as archeologists and eliminate any non-Indians from the program, But does this lead to conflict of interest set by the traditional belief system of the Navajo? With any sort of compromise, both traditions may find a deeper understanding of American prehistory. Our understanding may become richer when archeological method works with traditional Native perspective to tell us this ongoing story that we are all a part of. Euro-Americans have been the dominant society for a long time. The Indian dead has been looted and put to the test, while their oral traditions have been discredited through archeology. This ethical dilemma is viewed as non-renewable archeological resources, while denying equal protection under the law. Archeologists may benefit from the reburial actions of cultural presentation by bring the motion to their static view, while Indians may also find traditions that were left untold. Can there be a successful bridge to fill the gaps of both traditions order to preserve history and respect ancestors? Anthropology .

Summer Of The Monkeys Essays - Films, Summer Of The Monkeys

Summer Of The Monkeys The last thing a fourteen-year-old boy expects to find along an Ozark river bottom is a tree full of monkeys. Jay Berry's grandpa had an explanation, of course-as he did for most things. The monkeys had escaped from a circus, and there was a handsome reward in the store for anyone who could catch them. Grandpa said there wasn't any animal that couldn't be caught somehow, and Jay Berry started out believing him. But by the end of "the summer of the monkeys," Jay Berry Lee had learned a lot more than he ever bargained for- and not just about monkeys. He learned about faith, and wished coming true, and knowing what it is you really want. This novel, set in rural Oklahoma around the turn of the century, is a funny and heartwarming family story about a time and place when miracles were really the simplest things. Up until Jay Berry was fourteen years old, no other boy on earth could have been happier. He didn't have a worry in the world. But, just when things were really looking good for him, something happened. He got mixed up with a bunch of monkeys. Those monkeys all but drove him out of his mind. He should have kept this monkey trouble to himself, but he got his grandpa mixed up in it. He even coaxed Rowdy, his old blue tick hound, into helping him with his monkey trouble. At the time, the Lee family was living in a brand-new country that had just been opened up for settlement. They had moved there when Jay Berry was only two years old. He and his twin sister, Daisy, were born in Oklahoma City. He was born healthy, but Daisy came out with here right leg all twisted. She was going to be a cripple. The farm they lived on was called Cherokee Nation. It lay in a strip from the foothills of the Ozark Mountains to the banks of the Illinois River in northeastern Oklahoma. That was probably the last place in the world that anyone would expect to find a bunch of monkeys. During breakfast one morning, the Lee family's milk cow, Sally Gooden, ran off. Jay Berry was sent out to look for her. He found the family's milk cow and the monkeys deep in the bottoms. He had never seen a monkey anywhere expect in a book. He had no explanation, nor did his father, for the monkeys' being. His grandpa and grandma were living down in the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, also. They owned one of those big country stores that had everything in it. Jay Berry ran to his grandpa's store and told him about the monkeys down in the bottoms. His grandpa explained everything to him, including the reward for the monkeys. About two weeks earlier, two men stopped by the store. They belonged to a circus train that was wrecked over on a railroad. One of the cars jumped the track and busted wide open. There were some valuable monkeys in that car, and a lot of them got away. They caught all but about thirty of the monkeys. They were offering a reward of two dollars a piece for all but one of the monkeys. That last one was worth one hundred dollars. That was a lot of money back then. Jay Berry had always wanted a .22 and a pony. That money was just enough. The last monkey's name was Jimbo and he was a lot bigger than the other monkeys. They were all worth a lot because they had been trained for acts in a circus. The last monkey was worth a hundred dollars because he was real smart. The men from the circus had said he was almost human. There was a catch, however. The monkeys had to be taken alive with no harm done to them. Jay Berry's grandpa first came up with a plan to catch them with traps that with the teeth all padded so it wouldn't hurt. Jay Berry tried it out the next morning and used apples as bait. The monkeys were about to fall for the trap, but Jimbo came along and got the apples while avoiding the traps. He

Prairie Dogs essays

Prairie Dogs essays Prairie dogs are small, rodents like mammals that live in the western united states. There are millions of prairie dogs that live in the dry plains of the western united states. Most prairie dogs have light brown to tan fur. White tail prairie dogs have a white tipped tail and black tail prairie dogs have a black tipped tail. Prairie dogs are about 4-7 inches tall, 9-14 inches long and weigh about 1.5 to 3 pounds. Prairie dogs are not nocturnal. This means that most of their activities take place in the day-time. During the winter, prairie dogs do not hibernate, and they do not migrate. However, they are slightly less active in the winter. One main instinct of prairie dogs is to let out a high pitched dog like bark to alert other prairie dogs of danger. Some predators of prairie dogs are snakes, hawks, and ferrets. The main predators of prairie dogs are farmers. Farmers shoot, poison, trap and sometimes even blow up prairie dogs because they destroy agricultural land. Because of this , the Mexican prairie dog is becoming endangered. This is the only species of prairie dog that is endangered. Prairie dogs mainly eat vegetation. This includes grasses, roots and weeds in the wild, and apples, yams, and puppy chow in captivity. Prairie dogs are expected to live 3-5 years in the wild and about 8 years in captivity. When a prairie dog is pregnant, it takes about one month for a litter of prairie dogs to be born. The female prairie dog gives birth to 3-8 young. The mating season of a prairie dog is mid-spring. ...

The Best SAT and ACT Test Dates for Senior Fall

The Best SAT and ACT Test Dates for Senior Fall SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Senior year is coming up, and you're ready to take a last shot at the SAT or ACT before applying to college. But when should you take the test? And how can you ensure that your scores make it to colleges on time? Read on to see a list of the fall and winter test dates as well as a detailed guide onhow to choose the best date for your situation. First Up: Make Sure You Have the Right Target Score Make sure that you know what score you need for the schools you're applying to. Read our guide on figuring out what score you need for the SAT and for the ACT. Test Dates and Deadlines for Seniors PrepScholar uses analysis of historical data and date selection principles to project these registration deadlines. The official registration deadlines for the 2019-20 school year haven't been released by the College Board and the ACT yet, but the test dates themselves are definitively based on official predicted schedules. SAT Test Dates August 24 Regular registration deadline: July 26 Late registration deadline: August 14 October 5 Regular registration deadline: September 6 Late registration deadline: September 25 November 2 Regular registration deadline: October 4Late registration deadline: October 23 December 7 Regular registration deadline: November 8Late registration deadline: November 26 ACT Test Dates July 13 Regular registration deadline: June 14Late registration deadline: June 24 September 7 Regular registration deadline: August 9Late registration deadline: August 25 October 26 Regular registration deadline: September 27Late registration deadline: October 13 December 7 Regular registration deadline: November 1Late registration deadline: November 18 February 8, 2020 Regular registration deadline: January 10Late registration deadline: January 17 These are just dates that are most relevant to seniorscheck out our full list of 2018-2019 test dates here. Want to learn more about the SAT but tired of reading blog articles? Then you'll love our free, SAT prep livestreams. Designed and led by PrepScholar SAT experts, these live video events are a great resource for students and parents looking to learn more about the SAT and SAT prep. Click on the button below to register for one of our livestreams today! Which Test Dates Should I Pick? Your decision should be based on a few different factors;college application deadlines and score goals are the most important. In general, try and go for the earlier dates to reduce stress! Choosing the Best Test Date for Your College Applications Before you settle on a testing date, make sure you know the application deadlines for your schools.If you are applying Early Decision or Early Action, most colleges have November application deadlines. If you are applying regular decision, applications are usually due in early January. Schools often accept SAT and ACT scores after application deadlines, but to verify this you should look up policies at the specific schools where you are planning on submitting scores. Harvard, for example, advises you to submit at least one component of its testing requirements (SAT, ACT, or two SAT subject tests) by October for Early Action and November for regular decision. However, they will continue to accept results from test dates as late as November for Early Action and as late as January for regular decision. There are some schools, including Yale, that will even accept scores from regular decision applicants on tests taken as late as February (for the ACT). As a general rule, if you are applying Early Action or Early Decision, the latest you should take the SAT is November 5, and the latest you should take the ACT is October 22.If you are applying regular decision, the latest you should take the SAT is January 28, and the latest you should take the ACT is February 11. Again, these are the LATEST dates you might take the tests - they may not be the best dates for your situation. If you wait for your results before sending scores to colleges rather than choosing to send scores the day of the test, you will end up with about a month between when you take the test and when colleges receive your scores.The ACT takes around two weeks to give you your scores, and theSAT takes around three weeks.Then it’s another two weeks or so to send the scores to your schools unless you use Rush Reporting. Rush Reportingsends your scores to colleges within two business days, but it will cost you almost three times the fee associated with a regular score report ($31 vs. $11.25), and some schools don't accept it. Make sure you're aware of how late your schools will accept SAT and ACT scores if your scores won’t make it there by the application deadline. How the College Board apparently sends your scores, am I right? Choosing the Best Test Date for Your Score Goals Whether or not you're planning on taking the SAT or ACT more than once this year, my advice is toaim for the first fall test date. That's October 1 for the SAT and September 10 for the ACT. Then, you can formulate a game plan for the rest of the year based on your performance. I Took the October SAT, Now What? The most important considerations for you to plan your testing strategy are: 1) whether you can even register for the next test date, and 2) whether you can avoid late fees. Generally speaking, the registration deadlines are packed so tightly that if you don't register for the next test right before you get your scores back, you're going to run into late fees. Here's a chart that shows how this will play out: Which Test? Test Date Deadline Late Deadline Score Release SAT Oct 5, 2019 Sep 6, 2019 Sep 25, 2019 Oct 25, 2019 SAT Nov 2, 2019 Oct 4, 2019 Oct 23, 2019 Nov 22, 2019 SAT Dec 7, 2019 Nov 8, 2019 Nov 22, 2019 Dec 27, 2019 For example: October's test date is October 5, and test scores should come out around October 25. November's normal registration deadline is October 4, and its late registration deadline is October 23. Therefore: If you're sure you want to take both October and November tests, register for the November test before you take the October test on October 1 to avoid late fees. If you take the October test and have not registered for the November test,wait for your scores to arrive. If they're not good, register for the November test immediately so you don't miss the late registration deadline. November and December are even tighter: If you're sure you want to take both November and December test dates, register for the December test before you take the November test on November 3 to avoid late fees. November scores should come out November 22. The late registration deadline for December is November 22. Thus, you cannot wait to receive your November scores before registering for the December test. If you take the November test and feel like you did poorly, immediately register for the December test for your last chance. If the extra fees are not significant to you, and you feel like you need many chances to take the test, err on the side of caution and register for all the test dates. You can cancel your test dates without any issueit won't go on your record and the College Board will gladly just take your money. I Took the September ACT, Now What? Let's go through the same logic for ACT test dates in 2018-19 here. Which Test? Test Date Deadline Late Deadline Score Release ACT Sept 7, 2019 Aug 9, 2019 Aug 25, 2019 Sept 17, 2019 ACT Oct 26, 2019 Sept 27, 2019 Oct 13, 2019 Nov 12, 2019 ACT Dec 7, 2019 Nov 1, 2019 Nov 18, 2019 Dec 17, 2019 If you take the September test: the normal registration deadline for the October test is September 27. This is after the September test date of September 8, 2018. Therefore, if you take the September test and don't feel good about it, before you get your scores back, register for the October test to avoid late fees. when you get your September scores back on September 17, if you need to retake, quickly register for the October test to avoid a late fee. If you take the October test: the normal registration deadline for the December test is November 1. This isafter the October test date of October 27, 2018. Therefore, if you take the October test and don't feel good about it, before you get your scores back, register for the December test to avoid late fees. when you get your October scores back on November 12, if you need to retake, quickly register for the December test with a late fee. Hopefully all of this helps you plan out the step by step testing plan for senior year. Choosing the Best Test Date for Your Study Plan By the end of your junior year, you probably know how much you are looking to improve on standardized tests before you send scores to colleges. The summer between junior and senior year is a great studying opportunity. If you are hoping to dramatically change your scores, putting in 5 hours a week for those three months is likely to give you a 150-200 point boost on the SAT or a 4-6 point boost on the ACT.For more advice on creating a study plan, check out our Complete Plans for both the SAT and ACT. You should register for the first fall test date even if you think you still need to study more. Every test session presents a unique opportunity to assess your strengths and weaknesses in a controlled environment.You can always sign up for the next date right away if the first test doesn't go as well as you hoped! Make sure you save time outside of studying to engage in fun summer activities, which apparently at some point in history included walking along depressing beaches in wildly impractical dresses. Overview Be aware of your application deadlines. Check with your schools to see when they accept test scores. Be prepared to sign up for the test again if you aren’t satisfied the first time. The earlier test date is the better test datebecause you will have more opportunities later on to improve your scores! What's Next? Find out which exact dates you want to choose with our Table of 2016-2017 SAT Test Dates. Check out this article if you're wondering how many times you should take the SAT overall.Or, take a look at this advice if you're just debating whether you should retake the ACT or SAT. Still need to take your SAT subject tests? Here are some upcoming dates and advice on which ones you should choose. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Air pollution around the i710(Long Beach) Freeway Term Paper

Air pollution around the i710(Long Beach) Freeway - Term Paper Example Infect, they are not aware of the biggest danger, which is going to affect them in the forth coming years. According to Robert Hotz of the Wall Street Journal, "Congested cities are fast becoming test tubes for scientists studying the impact of traffic fumes on the brain" (Coker para. 1). The experience with air pollution can be associated to brain damage, fretfulness, gloominess, dementia and autism and also probably intensify the threat of Alzheimer's disease and fasten the outcome of Parkinson's disease. The latest report of the public-health management and the laboratory studies suggests that, overexposure to impure air has extensively been connected with asthma and elevated rates of cardiac syndrome, malignancy and respiration problems. The West Long Beach Site:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The west long beach, which is identified as an important gift of nature, is a residence to the main drivers of air pollution in southern California. About 29,000 inhabitants and 8 public schools are operating with more than 9,000 students; they are compressed among the 710 freeway to the east. The Long Beach/Los Angeles port compound, the 103 freeways and main oil plant to the west; the 405 freeway to the north; the port and a main engineering to the south. A major producer of air pollution is the harbor compound, which include ships, trains, and trucks. As the basis for more than 40% of the nation’s import, above forty thousand trucks trips a day are required for the movements of the goods from the docks and terminals. â€Å"Some trucks head for the massive truck-to-train ‘intermodal’ facility adjacent to Westside area schools, where the containers are transferred to trains running north to the rail yards east of Los Angeles. Other trucks make their way to the I-710 and rail corridor, what residents call â€Å"cancer alley,† before hooking into the region’s vast transportation matrix. The research site is highlighted in the map to the rig ht† (Hytrek 5). Air Pollution around the 710 Freeway:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The port of Long Beach are the lone prevalent source of air pollution in southern California leading to increased asthma rates for kids existing in port-adjacent community such as Long Beach, to be approximately twofold as elevated as the rest of the U.S. Pollution associated to the ports and movements of goods in California causes more than 2,500 early deaths per annum and malignancy threat rates up to 20 times superior to central clean air standards. The inhabitants are basically economically backward class. In a current economic study of school absence and ozone stage in Southern California, the researchers identified that $68 million a time can be secured if ozone altitudes in the south Coastal Basins been further minimized, so as to get better with the health matters of the children. Health Impacts of Air Pollution among Children: Air Pollution is found to have an inconsistent effect on inhabit ants near the coastal areas, where they belong to the economically weaker class of the society. Children are identified to have census problem and the regular headache and tiredness are the consequences as the result of the same. Children in those areas are prone to be identified with asthma, and other bronchial infections. The children are also found to have diagnosed with the risk of cancer and the risk of experiencing poisonous air contaminants. Various studies

The Ellen Show Assignment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Ellen Show Assignment - Research Paper Example Amidst occasions, she and the group of onlookers move to the music played by D.J. Tony Okungbowa. The website of the TV show which is www.ellentv.com is fast and snappy. It is bright and colorful but fewer colors would not have harmed the eyes for that sake. In order to maintain the viewership in the television channels they do not broadcast their full episodes on their website instead just a brief overview of the show or the episode is given. The website has lot of endorsement for other brands who try to promote themselves through the show. In my opinion these promotions should not be given all over the websites rather they can create a separate section for the promotions and brands related to Ellen Degeneres. Let us talk about the recommendation for the show. The show is one of the most popular in the world and does not have any negative side to it. So we cannot say that is harmful for the kids as such. It is funny, spread awareness and makes people dance. One suggestion that can be given as a viewer is that Ellen is only shot in USA which does not give the world wide fans a chance to be in the show. It is a show which is broadcast all the globe and it is loved and appreciated by people of every country and religion. They can conduct an Ellen Tour like those conducted by music artist and travel all over the world to meet the global fans. This is further make the show popular and people from various countries can have a chance to watch the show live. This event can be done once every season and they can probably one geographic region at a time. The Ellen application is available for apple devices and android platform. But there are other platforms such as blackberry and windows phone whic h are equally popular. In my suggestion they should make the applications for these platforms as well to increase the fan falling. As far as the famous lines in the show are concerned, there isn’t any. It is just a show named after a celebrity who is a comedian and brings

Alcoholic Beverage and Personal Communication Essay Example for Free

Alcoholic Beverage and Personal Communication Essay Introduction The use of a range of drug types, including alcohol, are part of the traditions of many, if not all, communities in Fiji. The Fijian and Indo-Fijian communities have long traditions of psycho-active drug use in the context of ritual and ceremony. 1,2 It has been noted that seafarers, together with indentured labourers, brought cannabis or Indian hemp traditions to Fiji, with the sugar cane plantations providing fertile ground for cultivation. 2,3 Meanwhile, kava was widely cultivated and consumed by ethnic Fijians. The Indo-Fijian community slowly adopted kava drinking rituals and gradually others began to increase their consumption. In addition, marijuana use emerged and spread with increasing popularity amongst youth, especially males. 2-5 This literature review explores the current licit and illicit drug situation in Fiji. It considers peer-reviewed articles identi? ed using Pub Med, Health Internet Work Access to Research Initiative (HINARI) searches and ‘grey’ literature, including published and unpublished reports, and web based resources (e.g. UNDOC, WHO). The review found that there is limited data available to assist in understanding the current situation and associated harms in Fiji, but notes more studies and reports have examined alcohol consumption patterns and associated social problems when compared with studies on illicit drug use. 1, 5-15 Alcohol use in Fiji According to the WHO Global Status Report on Alcohol, data from the 1993 National Nutrition Survey indicate that consumption of alcoholic home brew use is widespread in Fiji, as in other Paci? c nations. These beverages usually contain up to three times the alcohol content of commercially produced beer and are mostly drunk by younger men. 16 After 1995, unrecorded alcohol consumption in Fiji was estimated to be 1. 0 litre of pure alcohol per capita for the population older than 15 years (estimated by a group of key alcohol experts). 17 Although there are no recently published statistics on the number of drinkers and abstainers, the same survey found daily drinkers to be 1. 4% among males and 0. 8% among females aged 12 years and over. 18 Estimates from alcohol experts show that the proportion of adult males and females who had been abstaining (in the year prior to the survey) was 74% (males) and 98% (females). 17 Research shows that single drinking sessions with a high rate of alcohol intake (common practice among Fijian youth) can cause abrupt mood swings resulting in violence, accidents and ? ghts, exaggerated emotions, uncharacteristic behaviour, memory loss, impaired judgement, communication problems, sleepiness, coma, stupor and death (at very high intake) and suicide attempts. Binge drinking has also been implicated in schizophrenic and other psychiatric episodes. 19 165 REVIEW PACIFIC HEALTH DIALOG MARCH 201 1, VOL. 17, NO. 1 While there is limited current information on the rate and consumption patterns of alcohol, cannabis and kava among young people,1,6,9 several studies2,3,8,11 were conducted to analyse the extent of tobacco and alcohol use among young people in Fiji in the 1990s and early 2000s. One of the studies4 found that alcohol is widely consumed in one form or another among young people, with about 2 in 5 of the young people surveyed having tasted it. The percentage of young people classi? ed as current drinkers ranged from a high of 26% among males to 9% among females. 4 Of concern was the high proportion of binge drinkers: about 3 in 5 young people reported having had 5 or more alcoholic drinks in one session. The study4 indicated that the high prevalence among 13-15 year olds poses a serious concern, and highlights the need for law enforcement and intervention programs to create an environment that promotes responsible drinking. Interestingly, the study found that when compared to smoking, alcohol and kava use, the proportion of young people using cannabis was relatively low. 4 A follow up survey of 2147 students in 2004 by the National Substance Abuse Advisory Council (NSAAC) found a general increase in substance use among secondary students (see table 1). Table 1: Youth Substance Use in Fiji (Comparison of the results for Fiji in the 1999 Global Youth Tobacco Survey by UNICEF and WHO and 2004 follow up survey by NSAAC). Substance Tobacco Alcohol Kava Marijuana GYT Survey (1999) 32. 3 40. 3 51. 9 12. 8 NSAAC (2004) 43 51 61 13 Signi? cant variations exist in the drinking habits of males and females in Fiji; there are many more male drinkers than there are female drinkers. 11 Ordinarily males consume the bulk of the alcohol in the company of other males, usually during drinking sessions with no special occasion, while most women drink alcohol during social functions or in night club settings in the company of men and other women. While women occasionally participate in drinking sessions, typically it is an exclusively male activity. 11,13 It is at these drinking parties where the most copious amounts of alcohol are reportedly consumed. Thus, when males drink, they tend to drink larger amounts of alcohol in one sitting than women do. Illicit drug use in Fiji Border Security and Drug Control Limited data exist to aid in understanding illicit drug use and the associated harms across the Paci? c. In addition, there are no surveillance systems. 20 However, Fiji by virtue of its geographical position is faced with the twin problems of illicit drug traf? cking and increasing use. 21,22 These are further aggravated by the rapid transitional and social changes arising from urbanization. These developments create an atmosphere which exposes entire communities to greater risk associated with drug use (Personal communication – Fiji Police Department, 2008). Minimal use of drugs such as heroin, morphine, cocaine and hallucinogens occur, but this review found that Fiji is considered a transit area for smuggling. [20-23]. Drugs such as heroin, methamphetamines and 166 PACIFIC HEALTH DIALOG MARCH 201 1, VOL. 17, NO. 1 REVIEW cocaine are not commonly used due to their high cost when compared to the average income. Raw cocaine has reportedly been found in Fiji and three Chinese men and a Fijian security guard were murdered in what was thought to be an organized crime execution linked to drugs. 22 National enforcement agencies have responded to curb traf? cking as is re? ected by the large seizures of illicit drugs. 24,25 In spite of this response, a drug laboratory found in Fiji in 200625 supports the view that organized crime groups could escalate their activities in the Paci? c islands. 21,25 A raid at an industrial estate in Suva, involving police from Australia and New Zealand and Fijian Customs Of? cer followed a major heroin seizure in 2000. 21,25] The lab identi? cation also suggests a transition of Fiji (and possibly other Paci? c Nations) from a transhipment point to a production base. According to the New Zealand Police, to succeed in future operations similar to the Suva bust, interested agencies need to work towards having â€Å"robust communication systems† across organisations to keep them connected and informed on crime in the region. 21 It is reported that there are about 5000 vessels transiting in the Paci? c on any given day. 21,24 Large shipments may be unloaded from a mother ship to smaller vessels, and can subsequently go in hiding at the many small, uninhibited islets and atolls, waiting for the next step. 21 Fiji has recently established a Transnational Crime Unit (TCU) with the Fiji Islands Revenue and Customs Authority (FIRCA) as one of the key law enforcement agencies involved. This unit has been vigilant in promoting the cooperation between border organizations in order to assist the TCU in controlling the borders. 24 The Unit also compiles data for intelligence risk assessments throughout the year. It supports a Case Management Intelligence System (CMIS), whereby relevant information from the Police Department, Immigration Department, Local Government Authorities, Financial Intelligence Unit, and other Law Enforcement Agencies24 are automatically linked in the system. A number of cases which the TCU have been investigating include a Tongan syndicate smuggling drugs from Fiji to Tonga. In a recent example of program cooperation a number of TCU surveillance targets were arrested during a Police roadblock in Sigatoka (personal communication, FIRCA, 2008). Domestic Issues Cannabis is by far the most common and widespread illicit drug used in Fiji. 11 Like many other countries in the region, anecdotal evidence suggests there has been a considerable increase in drug use among young people4 despite the relatively small increase suggested by the 2004 NSAAC study (see table 1). However, it is not clear if the two studies they reported were directly comparable. Data collected by the St Giles Hospital and the Fijian Police Department support the view there has been an increase in use. Admissions data for St Giles Hospital reports on cannabis induced psychosis and other disorders. In 1987, ? ve young men were admitted to St Giles Hospital with cannabis related mental disorders. In 1988, the number rose to ? fteen with many more unreported cases. 26 The 2005 hospital data revealed that a total of 612 patients were seen at outpatients department diagnosed with a substance abuse disorder. These included 386 (63%) patients for marijuana, 59 (10%) alcohol, 99 (16%) kava and 99 (16%) tobacco use issues. In 2006, 272 admissions to St Giles Hospital were reported as drug related, consisting of 66% Fijians, 20% Indo-Fijian and 14% belong to other ethnic groups. It is probable that the political troubles in 2006 impacted on the number of admissions, but no data were available to con? rm or reject this view. Police arrest data report possession (see Table 2). 8,13,26 Statistics provided by Fiji Police showed 259 drugrelated crimes were committed in 2008. There was a 21 per cent drop from 2007 which had 329 drug-related 167 REVIEW PACIFIC HEALTH DIALOG MARCH 201 1, VOL. 17, NO. 1 crimes. 27 There are also reports of increasing cannabis cultivation as a form of inter-seasonal cash crop substitution among farmers. It is estimated that Fiji has between 500 to 1000 cannabis producers, some of them citing the country’s worsening economy as the motivator for production (personal communication, Police Drug Unit, November 2008). For generations, the villagers of Navosa have travelled for hours across rugged terrain to reach a road to the market to sell their produce with no guarantee their produce will be sold. Facing the same hardships as their ancestors, many of these villagers report having no choice but to resort to marijuana growing because â€Å"The product is lighter, it has a steady market and is economically viable† (Personal communication with growers, December, 2008). Production is predominantly for local consumption. Table 2: Recent Crime Data ( Drug offences recorded by the Fiji Police Forces from 2000 to 2006). Year Drug offences 2001 433 2002 417 2003 417 2004 312 2005 312 2006 333 The Save the Children Fund in Fiji reports that the continuing political and economic instability in the country has also led to a lot more children working as drug traf? ckers or prostitutes. [28] Concern over the increasing number of children involved in drug traf? cking was sparked by the recent arrest of three school children caught selling drugs in an amusement centre in Labasa. The Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre reported an increase in young Indo-Fijian girls working as prostitutes in urban centres. Furthermore, the National Manager for Save the Children Fund in Fiji, says there is a growing trend among poor families to send their children out onto the streets. 28 Drug and alcohol legislation and policy According to the literature, there is no regional-based illicit drug policy for the Paci? c and few treatment programs. 20,29 Information from the Paci? c Island Forum Secretariat (PIFS) indicates that Fiji’s Illicit Drugs Control Act is an adaptation of the Regional Model Law on the Control of Illicit Drugs which was developed by the Secretariat. There was no formal committee, but it was endorsed by a Cabinet sub-Committee on legislation which was chaired by the then Attorney-General. Both the Fijian Government and PIFS are advocating for a regional legislative framework to respond to the increase in illicit drugs in the region (personal communication, PIFS, 2008). Amphetamines are a key drug of concern with the region’s geographical vulnerability highlighted as a key factor in the rationale for this approach. At the time of writing, Kiribati and Fiji are the only two PIFS member countries to have adapted and enacted the model law. Furthermore, a Code of Practice has been developed by PIFS to assist stakeholders such as law enforcement agencies and pharmacies to classify, register and dispose of illicit drugs (personal communication, PIFS, 2008). It may be adapted by Forum member countries with modi? cations to suit national legal and administrative arrangements. Legislative control on the consumption and sale of alcohol to minors has not been widely and effectively implemented. While minors are legally barred from consuming alcohol, the sale of alcohol beverages to under-age drinkers is common throughout the country. 11 For the minor who is unable to gain access to commercial alcohol beverages, homebrew is an easily obtained alternative. Anecdotal evidence suggests that minors make up a large and undetected percentage of consumers of alcohol beverages. 168 PACIFIC HEALTH DIALOG MARCH 201 1, VOL. 17, NO. 1 REVIEW Sexually Transmitted Infections Sexually Transmitted Infections, including HIV, are emerging public health problems in Fiji. 13 A recent WHO report indicated that the rise in the number of HIV cases, in addition to increasing number of patients accessing STI clinics, in an ongoing concern. In 2006, MOH statistics indicated30 that Fijians comprised 83% of con? rmed HIV diagnoses, Indo-Fijian 13% and ‘others’ 4%. Since 2004, Fijian males had replaced females as having the highest number of cases. Overall, males comprised 59% and heterosexual transmission accounted for 85% of all cases. By the end of 2004 a total of 182 HIV infections had been reported in Fiji13 and the number of new cases reported each year has increased for the last ? ve years. In Fiji, reported cases of syphilis and gonorrhea have ? uctuated between 1998 and 2004. In 2004 there were 852 reports of syphilis and 1182 gonorrhea. The number of cases reported for 2008 were 1004 for syphilis, 1064 gonorrhea and 283 HIV cases. 27 Recent statistics from Fiji’s Health Ministry on Sexually Transmitted Infections are a cause for concern with the high rate of STIs among people aged 20 to 29 increasing the risk for HIV infection. 31,32 Fiji’s Director of Public Health notes that statistics gathered over the past eight years by the Ministry show that gonorrhoea and syphilis are the most frequently reported STIs in the country, which â€Å"highlights the underlying concern of unsafe sexual behaviour among young people† and the â€Å"same high-risk behaviour for the transmission of HIV. † He also said that â€Å"sex is serious business† and that â€Å"anyone, especially young people, who participates does so at their risk, in view of the sad consequences of infection from so many STIs including HIV, pelvic in? ammatory disease and infertility. †32 Risk/Protective Factors Some religious groups in Fiji, such as Islam, strictly forbid the use of alcohol. Christian denominations such as the Assemblies of God, Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Seventh Day Adventist Mission also prohibit the consumption of alcohol. Individual members of these religious groups vary in the degree to which they adhere to these principles. Any negative effects of combining tobacco or alcohol with kava use are currently conjecture, with relatively little work done to explore the nature of the relationship between these substances in the Paci? c. 1,6,9,26,33 However, anecdotal evidence suggests an inter-relationship exists with social and health consequences. 1, 4-6, 9, 13, 26, 33, 34 Reports of kava drinking followed by a beer chaser, known as ‘washdown’, are not uncommon and suggests the need for further exploration of potentially harmful consumption patterns. Excessive drinking, drinking too frequently and too much, often re? ects the drinking pro? le of the majority of young people in countries like Fiji. 5, 11, 14 Excessive drinking is reported as a signi? cant contributor to motor vehicle accidents, violence and aggressive behaviour, unwanted pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, and criminal activities. 3, 14, 15, 18, 26 It has been suggested that the alcohol consumption pattern of young Indigenous Fijian males follows the traditional kava ritual of drinking until there is nothing left in the kava bowl. In many instances, young people often end their kava drinking session by consuming alcohol (‘wash down’). [3, 5] It is reported that most youths drink excessively to manage their problems, but it may result in new problems like unsafe sex, crime and violence and even suicide. 5, 14, 15, 34, 35 A study in Fiji10, 11 revealed that alcohol was a factor in 58% of all homicide between 1982 and 1992 and approximately 80% of the crime in the country is alcohol-related. 10, 18 169 REVIEW PACIFIC HEALTH DIALOG MARCH 201 1, VOL. 17, NO. 1 Furthermore, the effects of alcohol on the physical, mental and social health of Fiji’s citizens have in recent years been the subject of considerable concern amongst health-care professionals and social scientists, as well as the ordinary citizens. 2, 3, 8, 10, 11, 23, 26, 33 At present there is suf? cient evidence from a variety of research ? ndings1, 6, 10, 11, 34 to suggest that the heavy consumption of alcohol contributes other health problems in Fiji, such as diabetes, heart problems, obesity and hypertension. Among the social consequences of excessive alcohol consumption in the country,10, 11 violent crime, domestic violence, and road fatalities have been identi? ed as the most serious. 8, 23, 34 While alcohol and home brew drinking are more common, marijuana cultivation, sales and distribution has become pervasive in some Paci? c Island countries. It has been seen as a good source of income. A further emerging substance abuse issue is glue snif? ng among school age children, mostly in their early teens. In addition, unemployment in youths is a major problem in the Paci? c. In Fiji it has been estimated that out of nearly 10,000 youths seeking employment, only 1500 can be employed. 2, 3, 13 Studies and observations in some urban areas of Paci? c countries point to an increasing numbers of people between the ages of 15-19 engaging in commercial sex worker with some aged even younger. 2, 3, 11, 15, 35, 36 Conclusions There is a range of evidence and data suggesting the potential for increased risk of HIV infection associated with substance use in Fiji, but there is a need to explore this issue further with social behavioural and qualitative research. While harmful substance use patterns and sexual health risk factors are increasingly reported, there is little current analysis regarding the interaction of the two. Of particular concern is the current environment of rapidly changing substance use patterns with little in the way of structural responses to protect the people of Fiji from the range of social and health-related harms. In addition, dif? cult economic conditions and the tangible bene? ts of cannabis growing and distribution (and potential for amphetamine production) lend urgency to the need to investigate these issues further and to develop viable interventions that are informed by robust data and research information. References 1. Goundar R, Kava consumption and its health effects. Journal of Community Health and Clinical Medicine for the Paci? c 2006. 13(3): p. 131-5. 2. Plange, N. K. , Social Aspects of Drug and Alcohol Abuse: An overview of the situation in Fiji. Fiji Medical Journal, 1991. 17(3): p. 5-12. 3. Plange, N. K. , Alcoholism and Crime among Urban Youth in Fiji. 1991, University of the South Paci? c. 4. UNICEF. , Substance use among adolescents in Fiji: A surveillance Report from the Fiji Global Tobacco Survey. 1999. 5. Rokosawa, M. Alcohol problems in Fiji. 1986 [cited. 6. Moulds RFW, M. J. , Kava: herbal panacea or liver poison? [For Debate]. Medical Journal of Australia, 2003(178): p. 451-3. 7. Morrison F, H. F. , Gaylord J, Leigh B, Rainey D. , Adolescent drinking and sex: ? ndings from a daily diary study. Perspective on Sexual Reproductive Health, 2003. 35(4): p. 162-8. 8. Adinkrah, M. , Homicide-Suicides in Fiji: Offence patterns, situational factors socio-cultural contexts. Suicide and Life Threatening Behavior, 2003. 33: p. 65-73. 170 PACIFIC HEALTH DIALOG MARCH 201 1, VOL. 17, NO. 1 REVIEW 9. Kava, R. , The adverse effects of Kava. Paci? c Health Dialog, 2001. 8: p. 115-18. 10. Adinkrah, M., Violent encounters: A study of homicide patterns in Fiji society. 1996, Fiji Council of Social Services. : Suva, Fiji. 11. Adinkrah, M. , Crime, deviance delinquency in Fiji. 1995, Suva, Fiji: Fiji Council of Social Services. 12. Plange, N. K. , Social aspects of drug and alcohol abuse: An overview of the situation in Fiji. Fiji Medical Journal, 1991. 17(3): p. 4-12. 13. 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