Assignment 3.1: Action Plan for Group Policy Brief
In Module 4, you will write a group policy review paper. You and your team members will select an evidence-based policy that targets substance use or abuse in communities, states, or at the federal level. A list of potential topics is provided below, other policy or prevention efforts can also be chosen as your topic and should be approved by the faculty member. Contact your Academic Coach if you would like to request a topic not listed below.
Tobacco Policy Topics
· Warning statements on tobacco packaging
· Regulation of flavored tobacco products
· Tobacco-free kids
· Raising taxes on tobacco products
· Smoke-free public housing project
· Smoke-free restaurants, bars, public places, etc.
Alcohol Policy Topics
· Alcohol taxes
· Regulation of drink specials or wholesale pricing
· Blood alcohol concentration limits
· Prohibitions against underage drinking
· Pregnancy and drinking warnings in restaurants/bars
Cannabis Policy Topics
· Legalization of recreational use
· Cultivation restrictions
· Price controls and taxes
· Seed-to-sale inventory tracking systems
· Warning labels on packaging
Additional evidence-based prevention programs can be found at the
SAMHSA National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices
. Please keep your topics focused on policy or prevention efforts,
not treatment.
Instructions:
Use the links above to identify a policy of interest you will review with your team members. The group only needs to submit one copy of this completed action plan to Canvas.
1. Each team member needs to enter their name and preferred contact information below (university email, phone, text, etc.).
2. Collectively choose a policy topic for your paper and outline each team members individual responsibilities.
Policy Brief Instructions:
In your policy brief you will describe the addiction/substance abuse problem your selected policy addresses, describe the policy solution, discuss the evidence for why it was developed and implemented, and evaluate the effectiveness of this policy in communities. Your policy brief should be formatted as follows:
1.
Title: Quickly communicates the contents of the brief.
2.
Executive Summary: 1-2 paragraphs providing an overview of the problem, policy review, evidence for effectiveness, and recommendations.
3.
Scope of the Problem: Communicate the importance of the problem and aim to convince the reader of the necessity of this policy action.
4.
Policy Review: Describe in detail the selected policy approach; what does the policy propose to do and its rationale for implementation; how will it prevent substance use or abuse?
5.
Policy Effectiveness: Evaluate the evidence for its effectiveness; review evidence of success in other countries, states, or communities. Is there evidence that is reduces or prevents substan6
Increasing Tobacco Taxes Decreases Prevalence of Use in Adolescents
Whitney Reed & Leigha Williams
University of Texas at Arlington, School of Nursing
2202-KINE-3355-500 Addictive Behaviors
Dr. Spohr
May 2, 2020
Executive Summary
The use of nicotine containing products and cigarette smoking has been a detriment to health since its origination. Study after study have proved the negative effects and outcomes associated with the use of nicotine. Nicotine use and cigarette smoking is exceptionally habit forming and has been called one of the most addictive substances. Like many addictions, total eradication of tobacco use would likely be an unattainable goal due to its prevalence and addictive properties. An achievable goal would be to decrease use among current users and to discourage potential users from adopting the habit.
Increased tax on cigarettes and nicotine containing products is considered a “sin” tax. The policy attempts to reduce nicotine use by individuals with a specific focus on reducing the likelihood and incidence of use among adolescents and youth. As taxes increase on tobacco products, fewer individuals will be likely to afford them or will be able to afford them less frequently. The policy imposed proves that the increased pricing has been effective in decreased sales of products, thus, resulting in decreased usage of nicotine containing products. If the increased taxation continues in increments over a period of time, the purchase of nicotine containing products will continue to decline and the decreased usage will continue to rise while limiting the adoption of this habit by adolescents and youth.
Scope of the Problem
Cigarette smoking is a widespread problem in the United States (US) and around the world. About 13.7% (34.2 million) of US adults smoke cigarettes (Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, 2020). According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA; 2020), 90% of these adult smokers began smoking by the time they were 18 years old. The brain tends to be most vulnerable to addiction in adolescence. Sixteen-hundred individuals under the age of 18 will try their first cigarette each day (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2019) and of those, greater than 250 individuals will become regular smokers (Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, 2020). Evidence has proven that tobacco companies target adolescents with advertising via television and social media (Renzuli & Muggali, 2019). These companies even go so far as to pay celebrities to endorse smoking so that it appeals to the younger population (Farber & Folan, 2017). Cigarette manufacturers have also attempted to make smoking less harsh on the smoker by adding menthol to cigarettes to lessen the immediate negative reaction of inhaling such as coughing or a burning sensation (Farber & Folan, 2017). Since hitting the shelves, menthol cigarettes have become somewhat of a starter tobacco product for adolescents. The more pleasant an individual’s
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