It is possible to name several most influential reasons why drug and alcohol abuse remains so common among modern youth. In my opinion, the most considerable contribution to this should be attributed to purposeful direct promotion of alcoholism and drug consumption in our mass media, especially in cinema and TV. For example, there are many popular TV series, like Mad Men, in which smoking and alcohol abuse (as well as sexual harassment and racial discrimination) at the workplace are highlighted. Moreover, drinking is indirectly promoted even in such “family-oriented” comedy TV series like Two and a Half Men, Desperate Housewives or Scrubs.

There are quite a few cinema movies, where alcohol or drug consumption does not take place or plays no important role in the plot. A great number of Hollywood movies visualize alcohol or drug abuse without direct condemnation of this terrible habit. Moreover, such movies as animated film A Scanner Darkly featuring Keanu Reeves or the movie The Basketball Diaries starring Leonardo Di Caprio picture daily routine of drug users and the way their addiction replaces more important things in their life. Alcoholism is also presented in many Hollywood movies, and due to such “tolerance” to drinking in our mass media, a common idea about modern superhero can be put to picturing a middle-aged man with a gun in one hand and a bottle of whisky in the other.

One more important reason is public behavior of the majority of American music or cinema stars and idols, who are repeatedly reported to be caught drunk or being under effect of some substances. In particular, an idol of many teenage girls Britney Spears is, probably, one of the most successful “promoters” of alcohol and drug abuse. In January 2008 she was reported to be taken to a hospital being under effect of some drugs. A young and talented American actress Lindsay Lohan was several times arrested and charged for driving under effect of alcohol. In 2008, another famous actor, a star of popular TV series 24 Kiefer Sutherland was sentenced to spending more than a month in jail for drunk driving. In this context, it is possible to talk about a great number of celebrities, such as Amy Winehouse, Whitney Huston, Mick Jagger, Kate Moss, Robin Williams, Paris Hilton and many others.

Finally, one more significant reason which triggers improper behavior of youth and increases drugs or alcohol consumption is dealing with drinking parents. In the majority of the situations, alcoholism in the family results in such negative social effects, as constant quarreling and misunderstandings between the parents, divorce or a serious disease of a family member. Needless to say that it affects children and teenagers, who sooner or later try to forget their problems and stresses with the help of drugs or alcohol. In conclusion, it is necessary to mention that in order to lower the amount of drinking and drug abuse among our modern youth and teenagers, it would be very effective to decrease the exposure of American young people to any examples of alcohol and drugs consumption, both in mass media and in real life

The concept of aging is connected with any changes that happen to human beings over time, including physiological, psychological and other ones. Those are the changes of body size, mental abilities and social skills, behavior and self-perception, as well as changes in sensations, responses and reactions, and many others. Aging is a normal part of biological cycle of any living creature, and every one of us without exceptions has to go through it.

Aging as a social problem usually means the difficulties which people have to face when they are getting older. It is known that when children and teenagers turn into adults, the effects of aging are mostly positive: individuals become physically and mentally stronger, wiser and more experienced, more socially advanced and independent, etc. However, in the late adulthood the effects of aging are mostly negative, including increasing physical weakness, mental and psychological problems, frequent problems with health, and so on. Here is an illustrative example of what aging is all about.

Almost every child can observe how his grandparents are getting older. From our early childhood, we usually remember our grandparents as quite active and optimistic people, who were doing  housework, working in the garden, going to fishing, playing outdoor games with us and enjoying this life. Later on, they became less active and happy. All aging people develop some serious health problems and have many chronic diseases. They can not keep things in mind and very often they go into memories about good old times when they were young. They mostly stay in bed and prefer not to go out of the house, especially in cold weather. They always feel cold. They sleep every afternoon on the sofa in front of the TV. Those are the most common effects of the old age.

Certainly, aging is a very hard period in the life of any person. When someone is growing older and loses usual abilities, develops a lot of diseases and has a lot of special needs, he or she starts feeling dependent and useless in this world. Besides, thinking about the coming death and leaving this world seems really very scary for many people. That is why aging people need a lot of attention and understanding from every one of us.

In order to provide aging Americans with proper health care and support, our government organizes a number of social programs and offers grants. This helps to make life of aging people better and gives them opportunity to enjoy new experiences. Josefina G. Carbonell from the U.S. Administration on Aging describes the main mission of her organization as “..encouraging Americans of all ages to live healthier lives”. Such programs are very effective and, according to the survey The State of Aging and Health in America, American people now live longer than just several years ago. It is very important to do everything possible to help old people feel loved and needed, feel our respect for their life experience and wisdom, feel our gratitude for everything they have done for making out world better. In such case the aging could be compared to the sunset, which is usually as beautiful as the sunrise.