It seems counterintuitive that a major cities solution to a drug problem involves safe injection sites, as well as the highest quality drugs for free, however that is exactly what is happening in Vancouver. Instead of trying to rid the city of its drug issue, the local government appears to have given up on its people, essentially deciding on a form of damage control. Offering the equivalent of a walk in clinic, users are able to walk in and inject in a controlled environment, overseen by a nurse; without a care in the world about the legal implications, which have been essentially thrown away. They are provided with syringes, band-aids, antiseptic pads, as well as fresh needles, funded by the city’s tax payers of course, to be able to safely inject and enjoy their high. A select few of the “lucky” users are even prescribed heroin by doctors, in an attempt to keep them at bay. Allen Schauffler, Pacific Northwest Correspondent for Al Jazeera explained it perfectly, saying that the program is a form of “harm reduction”, aimed at giving these users their fix in an attempt to keep them from committing crimes and wreaking havoc on the city. Instead of giving them a solution the city has decided to give them a cleaner, more pure version of the problem already at hand.

https://www.pri.org/stories/2015-02-04/vancouver-combats-heroin-giving-its-addicts-best-smack-world

It seems counterintuitive that extreme parenting, full of strict regulation, lack of freedom, and constant control often leads to adverse effects in children and youth. Intended to guide and shape a child into their parent’s ideal vision leaves a lot to be desired. While some may say that it allows for more focus and determination to be built in the child’s personality, oftentimes it results in a disconnect between the family. This form of upbringing takes away the creativity and self exploration that is essential to one’s childhood, and results in rebellion and even ruined relationships. In extreme cases, such as in China, where society puts a large amount of pressure on youth to meet the standards and expectations set by parents, this strict and extreme parenting has been shown to drive children to the brink, and unfortunately has resulted in many suicides. Today however, with mental health being more openly talked about, this older technique of parenting is beginning to wane, resulting in a hybrid of strictness and rules, with openness and understanding.

It seems counterintuitive that supplement sales make up $28 Billion of consumer spending in the United States, while studies suggest that multivitamins and other supplements may be pointless. In fact, in many cases they can do more harm than good. Nutritionist Marion Nestle goes as far as saying “There is virtually no evidence that they make healthy people healthier.” Studies have also shown that those who take multivitamins are more likely to get all of their necessary nutrients from the foods they consume, and by taking additional multivitamins increase their health risks. For instance, seniors who take extra iron supplements are more likely to suffer from heart disease than those who do not take these supplements as a typical diet supplies the body with sufficient iron. With such a large market, combined with the common belief that vitamins make one healthier, supplement use is a psychological boost that hurts American’s pockets while exposing them to more harm than good.