This week's readings lack an obvious unifying theme. But, they each highlight a relatively new challenge faced by governments throughout Latin America. South-south immigration has picked up speed as the world grows more interconnected through technology and transport and western economies slow. Drug consumption has sadly spread among the populations of producing and transporting countries. And, the health problems associated with more calories and less activity have not been limited to the so-called rich world.
Obviously the answers to these challenges are not easily found. They also do not depend solely on growing wealthier or more educated, as evidenced by the fact that each of these issues is arguably found on an even greater scale in the US and Western Europe. Each challenge may also necessitate a separate response from the others.
Question: With these obstacles in mind, I'm interested in your take on these issues. If you were a policy-maker in Brazil, Mexico, or elsewhere in Latin America, what strategies would you pursue? Could you learn from the struggles of other part of the world (such as the US) who have wrestled with these challenges for decades?
Brazil immigrants face long wait at border town
Drugs in Brazil: Cracking up
Diabetes in Mexico: eating themselves to death
Enjoy!
I believe that there is a unifying theme with this week’s articles. Professor Cupery identified that each of the issues are present in the US, but more than that, I believe that each of these issues represents a different policy area where the US is clearly failing. With regards to the drug (crack) issue in Brazil, the government of Brazil would do well to observe lessons learned internationally and at home before continuing with their current policy perspective towards the crack issue. The current policy perspective of the Brazilian public towards the crack addicts and drug abusers can be seen as draconian and poorly thought out as I believe forced internment never works, as recovery is only achieved when the individual truly wants to recover.
ReplyDeleteThe current societal and demographic dynamics of Brazil render it particularly vulnerable to illicit drug presence and abuse. As the article stated, a combination of 3 different factors have situation Brazil in this unfortunate position, these three factors are 1) geographical location 2) presence of emerging middle-class and growing economy and 3) prisons that act as ‘incubators’ for crime.
If I was a politician in Brazil and it was my responsibility to deal with this issue my focus would be on addiction treatment via education, therapy, and work programs as opposed to emphasis on punishment and incarceration. The last week of class and the articles we have read have clearly identified that overcrowding and the ‘incubator effect’ that define current Latin American prisons only perpetuate the problem, and due to this the current policy prescription in Brazil and Latin America must change.
I agree, I believe the central connecting theme represented in these articles is as Tyler stated "each of these issues represents a different policy area where the US is clearly failing." Of course referring to our failed policies regarding immigration, drug control and health care. One of my favorite all time quotes is by Leighann Lord “Did you know America ranks the lowest in education but the highest in drug use? It's nice to be number one, but we can fix that. All we need to do is start the war on education. If it's anywhere near as successful as our war on drugs, in no time we'll all be hooked on phonics.” I also found it very interesting in the way society can affect health issues. In the US obesity is somewhat of a taboo subject, however in Mexico it seems to be a sign of prosperity.
DeleteI'd like to draw on the point Tyler made regarding how crack addicts addictions are only cured if the users truly want to cure it. When you have a neighborhood like Cracolandia you are essentially dealing with a bunch of lost causes. Serious drugs like crack are not easily shaken off and throwing a bunch of users in jail will not fix anything. In fact, that practice makes it worse in my opinion as the users who are locked up withdrawing in jail only long for another hit as soon as they get out. The focus for policy change should be directed at keeping the streets safe and clean as well as stopping the outbreak of drug users. I would worry less about the people that have already been lost to the slippery slope of using drugs and more about the sober people around who may become drug users. It may sound harsh to just forget about the struggling users, but is trying to force them through rehab worth it? As mentioned in the economist article, the dropout rate is high and often times users relapse after completing rehab so why waste the time and resources. Provide adequate rehab centers for those who wish to voluntarily enroll and control the spread of drug users by patrolling the streets and keeping non-users out of the areas with a high-concentration of users.
DeleteIn response to Collin, I'd have to mildly disagree with what you are saying. Although the point you are making is clear, I believe it is a bit extreme. Only providing rehab to those who voluntarily enroll leaves out a lot of addicts that need help, but are unable to help themselves. Perhaps if some sort of process were put in place to analyze addicts (not just in Cracolandia, but a majority of Brazil), perhaps those that are not believed to beyond help could potentially be helped. Losing hope on citizens allows room for other citizens to lose hope in the country itself, which only leads into a downward spiral of depression and regrettable repercussions. I understand what you are trying to say - some addicts are, in fact, beyond hope, their minds broken from the lifetime of drugs that they've become accustomed to - but from a leader's point of view, you must try to save those that need saving to a larger extent than what you have proposed. It may seem like a waste, but setting an example goes a long way.
DeleteBoth of these public health issues, drug use and obesity, are extremely alarming and I have witness with my own eyes the damage and consequences they bring upon individuals. I think that the eating issue in Mexico is cultural. Being a little chubbier is seen as positive in Latin American culture specially in Mexico. Little kids that are chubby are seen to have better health, and this continues through out life.
ReplyDeleteWith this I think that education around this subject in schools and clinics can expose the health risks associated with this epidemic. Also the availability and price of soft drinks is a problem as they are everywhere and are fairly cheap. The next area to focus around is the quality of food. Now in days due to NAFTA the quantity of food imported from the US is huge. A lot of the time this food is genetically modified contrary to the food that in past times was grown locally and with less chemicals. Lastly the genetics at work cannot be ignored.
A lot more can be done though in the public health aspect. Again more education around this topic can be done in schools and clinics. A focus on prevention rather than treatment is necessary. Having exercise program for all segments of the population will reduce these rates of obesity and will help prevent diabetes. Changing the mind of an entire culture is difficult though specially when food is so connected to so many traditions. Also its hard to move away from such delicious cuisine. Its almost impossible to turn away a warm plate of foods like carnitas, chicharrones, pozole, birria, etc. So improving the quality of foods available should be the priority of government
I completely agree that education is key in remedying problems with obesity in Mexico. As you said, I think Mexico's obesity problem has a lot to do with its culture and therefore is not easily remedied. However, I think they can look to the U.S. as an example of how they can take steps towards lowering obesity. In recent years, the U.S. has begun targeting young children in campaigns to encourage healthier diets and lifestyles because a person's eating habits usually start when they are young and carry on throughout their lives. Thus, I think Mexico should follow the U.S. and start introducing healthier eating habits and more exercise programs in schools. I also think more education about diseases like diabetes and heart disease is needed in schools and public health programs. I think these strategies may lead to a reduction in obesity in Mexico and stimulate a culture that is more centered on healthier lifestyles.
DeleteI agree that education is a very important part of curbing obesity in Mexico yet there is a great deal of research that shows when poorer people experience an increase in the amount of money they have to spend they tend to spend the money not on healthier more nutritious food but on better tasting food. This means that for the most part as people improve their economic status they in turn improve their diets. I think the best way to curb obesity in places like Mexico would be to incorporate an education program similar to what Mandy has described in addition to improving income equality, decreasing poverty, and increasing the middle class which would increase the likelihood of people actually using the techniques that are taught through the educational programs.
DeleteI definitely agree with Mandy and Diego's comments in that obesity is definitely a cultural thing, which can make it hard to be fixed. There is a lot of poverty in Mexico and what money people do have for food, is more likely to go towards less healthy foods that taste good, since they are generally cheaper. I also agree that they can look to the US for advice seeing as obesity, especially childhood obesity is a problem we are hearing more and more about through the media. We have been campaigning for healthier alternatives for kids, trying to get them to be more active and lead healthier lifestyles. I think education is key here and I think it's important to teach children in school about the negative of effects of obesity and ways they can be healthier. Exercise programs, like Mandy mentioned, would work really well, especially for school-aged children. Also, I think that in general it's important that the media gets this information out there letting people of all ages know and understand the risks and dangers of being obese. Even though being a little "bigger" may be the cultural norm, it's important that they understand the affects that obesity can have on their health. I think that also, like Andrew mentioned, once there is less poverty in Mexico and peoples' incomes start to increase, hopefully their diets and lifestyles will start to improve as well.
DeleteThe obesity issue in Mexico is an important one that as mentioned by my classmates above, is much more difficult to fix than in other countries because of the cultural affiliation with weight. I believe that the only way to really begin fixing the issue is what the article states in the last paragraph. To educate not on the weight and size aspect, but on the health side. To show people the horrific things that obesity can do to your health and the cost you will pay. Andrew made a good point that the poverty correlates with being overweight because less healthy foods are more accessible, however educating people that the cost of diabetes and doctors bills will be much higher is an important aspect to address as well.
DeleteI can relate a lot to the issues brought up in the article "Diabetes in Mexico" from growing up with two parents who are both from Mexico. As stated, it's true, my parents use the words 'gordo' and 'gorda' as terms of endearment even to this day. Luckily, being immersed in a culture where the health profession is more accessible, they were able to catch on early enough and wean off their cultural norm of excessive unhealthy eating and drinking. If they had continued to eat like they do in Mexico, their cholesterol and diabetes which runs in our family would likely be a major issue.
DeleteBut in places like Mexico, where the public health-care system foots the bill for the sharply rising cost of diabetes treatment, is only perpetuating the disease. As we read, diabetes is one of the top two causes of death in the country, something needs to be done.
Nevertheless, obesity and these health issues that derive from it are prevalent even in the US. Mexico needs to focus on ending these unhealthy habits to avoid the problem altogether. I believe people need to be educated about working out, and learn about the power of moderation. Possibly teaching the people of Mexico at an early age in school to care about their health, have the health-care system be more active in spreading awareness and preventative measures for the sake of their lives.
Andrew brings up a really good point in that people in poverty tend to spend their money on better tasting food rather than more nutritious food. Whether it is a cultural thing or not, education is clearly the only solution. I believe many of these people don't realize the detrimental effects being overweight can have on their health, thus they do not take the necessary measures to avoid becoming obese. As the others have said, being heavier is seen as a sign of prosperity, so people do not worry about being overweight, in fact they cherish it. Education IS KEY! Adding nutrition and health classes to grade school will help children learn at a young age the kinds of foods they need to be avoiding and that physical exercise is crucial if they want to avoid such health problems as diabetes and heart issues. I'm not saying it's too late for the older generations, but it is usually very hard to get older people to change their minds about things, so I think targeting children is the best bet to preventing this vicious cycle from continuing.
DeleteI don't think too much emphasis can be placed on culture. If people dealing with poverty have limited access to healthy foods and not as much time to prepare nutritional meals, then they would probably bear the greater burden of obesity.
DeleteThe article Drugs in Brazil: Cracking Up presents an interesting approach to the problem of drug use and the need for intervention. Arguing a similar position to Sanho Tree, the article seems to suggest that the main solution to the problem of drug use lies in promotion of an optimistic perception. Similar to Tree’s goal of “giving people a reason to look forward to tomorrow”, the article sights “hope” as a solution to the abuse of drugs and suggests that “patients hope a rebuilt smile will help them to et a job or even a girlfriend” in order to end their cycle of depression induced drug use. Additionally like Tree, the article seems to put the issue of drug market in the hands of the individual in that “police leave the task of approaching street usesrs to medical staff and volunteers from churches and charities”. This presents a diminished role of government and politics in the debate about drug policy and questions the extent of political intervention. These elements of policy are essential in considering Latin American Political Systems in general.
ReplyDeleteI think the "diminishing role of government" in the drug problem is less of the government's inability to deal with the problem and more about society dealing with the demand-side of drugs. Throwing people in jail for something that they largely cannot control will have no effect on improving the situation. I think it's the best feasible solution for police to step back and rehabilitation centers to step forward. Like one of last week's NY Times Forums mentioned, when those demanding the drugs are helped in getting clean, it has a bigger effect than one would think on reducing the severity of the problem.
DeleteLike Sarah said,the fact that a dentist can help so much in the rehabilitation of drug addicts is a step forward in improving the conditions of "cracklands". This should be taken as inspiration for other similar sectors of society to observe and hopefully come to believe that that small actions can make a difference in helping a former or current addict. Education is necessary yet other factors would greatly assist in providing incentive to live for crack addicts. Possible avenues for improving chances of rehabilitation include job placement, programs akin to the twelve step program, assisted living (halfway houses), and providing incremental doses of drug replacements like methadone. The worst possible outcome is a prison sentence. Any treatment is better than a jail cell.
DeleteThe question of the strength of political intervention that must take place in order to alleviate the drug problem in Latin America (and other countries with the same problems), in my opinion, is a question that need not be asked. Political intervention is a must in situations such as these, as there is a need for change in the policies in place that deal with them. There must be money allocated to building treatment centers, halfway houses and other facilities that will help these addicts on the path to recovery. Politicians that have to power to allocate money to these issues need to realize it's urgency and act.
DeleteI think that we all agree that there needs to be a bigger emphasis on the treatment of patients rather than the criminalization. It's important though like Lauren pointed out that the politicians take part in this initiative as well. If the country can come to a consensus on the necessity of the treatment of the addicts then they can all move forward and work to improve the lives of these addicts, which of course directly affects the drug dealers an the families of the addicts.
DeleteI think that the underlining theme of these articles is the effects of globalization. Although it would be hard to prove that globalization led to drug use or diabetes. The Economist article on "diabetes" noted that one of the possible reasons for obesity and diabetes in Mexico, and for that matter Latin America, is its close proximity to the united States. The US is one of the worlds largest distributor of preserved foods to the world. To take this one step farther, the effects of globalization on rural agriculture decreased the amount of healthy crops. This has been the case in the Andean's and quinua production and Central American corn farmers.
ReplyDeleteGlobalization has also dramatically effected the drug problem in many Latin American countries. Because the drug cartels are essentially corporations of drugs (Sanho tree) they react very similarly to market forces be they legal or not. As distribution to the United States lows, drug cartels look for other markets for their product. Once more the benefits of globalization for Brazil were lucrative but it makes them a target for drug traffickers. As globalization becomes more relevant to the drug trade via regulation or legalization, the issue of containing the illegal drug market will ensure its place a global security issue.
In both of these cases there are numerous reasons to doubt that globalization plays as important a part as I have presented. But I think that it creates an important perspective on the impact the the growing connected world will have on Latin America.
This is an interesting evaluation, and you are absolutely right. I too found it interesting that health issues in Mexico are accredited in part to proximity with the US. And that the US (as the largest drug consumer in the world) affects the global flow of illegal drugs, directly and indirectly.
DeleteI agree with rachee, very interesting way of looking at these issues. This makes me wonder how the future will effect the rest of Latin America with regards tot these issues, particularly obesity. The Mexican society is much more accepting of over-weight people than many other countries, including our own and others in LA (Venezuela). Will these differences, cultural and geographical, change the way obesity effects other LA countries in the future?
DeleteI believe the connection between globalization and increased drug use in Brazil is small but certainly there. The economist article singled out the US as one of the biggest consumers of drugs by stating that when the US shifted to synthetic drug use producers of organic drugs in Bolivia, Colombia, and Peru looked for new markets; and Brazil was available, especially after considering its borders with these three countries. I wonder if the US will be willing to work with these aforementioned countries in order to reduce their production and consumption rates. Perhaps the US could help Brazil build more rehab/education centers.
DeleteI think that everyone makes really interesting points about globalization, and I too agree. It is interesting how many things globalization can affect, be they negative or positive. It would be interesting to conduct some sort of study on the level of obesity to these countries nearest to the United States. But then there is one interesting thing about obesity and Mexico is the lack of negative stigma towards being "large". If it is not recognized as a negative or unhealthy habbit, then why would people ever feel the need to change. This to me is all about the direction of education within Mexico. What they value as important health education, and I definitely believe obesity should be one very heavily covered.
DeleteAs we have been discussing in class recently, drugs are a major concern for Latin America. So far in class, we have focused on what should be done to slow the production of drugs and the role that the United States plays in conjunction with Latin American drug epidemic. We lightly touched on different methods that could be took to deal with users but the conversation was very broad and was designed to have us consider the difficulties that a drug epidemic can have on a country. One reason I appreciate the article, Drugs in Brazil: Cracking Up, is because it focuses on a specific situation and the problems and possible solutions brought about by both the city government and local groups. This article brings the Latin American drug crisis to a personal level and gives the reader a chance to relate to individuals instead of sweeping statistics.
ReplyDeleteCracking Up covers the addiction problem in Brazil by looking at a district in Sao Paulo known as Cracolandia, which means Crackland. In this district, which consists of only a few streets, over 2000 crack addicts have made it their home. The city government of Sao Paulo is responsible to come up with a solution to fix this problem. In the past, the city has used a strategy called “Pain and Suffering”. The purpose of this was to force these addicts to another location and off the streets of Sao Paulo. They realized very quickly that this method merely spread the territory of Crackland, so Sao Paulo is currently having judges force the addicts into treatment. As popular as this method is for the general population, “forced internment” is only legal for a short period of time and then the addicts are free to leave, which the majority do.
Different initiatives are being offered by locals. Positive incentives, such as providing dental work to the addicts, have helped motivate them not to ruin their teeth, a common side effect of crack. Also being implemented is using uniformed cops, whose job it is to “keep the peace”, to provide the fundamental human right to feel safe. After many attempts to stem the flow of crack addicts to their city, the consensus is now to mix positive and negative incentives as a way to fight this ongoing problem.
If I were a policy maker, I believe that the best way to combat this problem is through positive incentives. According to a study titled Motivational Incentives Research in the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network, written by Maxine L. Stitzer, Nancy M. Petry, and Jessica Peirce, over a 3 month retention period, positive incentives worked to keep users clean 50% of the time, compared to just 35% for a non-incentive based program. In this study, they used small cash prizes as positive incentives. In Sao Paulo, methods such as the dental program gives the addicts not only an incentive not to ruin their teeth but it also gives them confidence. To rebuild a community whose economy has been decimated by the amount of addicts taking up residence, giving these people the confidence to possibly find a job will fill the neighborhood with pride and revitalize the community. This does not have to be confined to a single city, in order to re-attract business to run down areas in the state, the governments of Mexico and Brazil, whose economy is dependent on tourism, should stop giving attention to the producers and start to work on the consumers with a program that does not fill the prisons to beyond capacity and rewards addicts who have to will and strength to quit.
Stitzer, Maxine, Nancy Petry, and Jessica Peirce. "Motivational Incentives Research in the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network." National Institute of Health: Public Access. (2010): n. page. Web. 16 Apr. 2013. .
I have to agree with most of the class consensus that all three of these issues are all do to globalization and the ever shrinking world that people live in. The internet and other forms of communication are great and make the world a smaller place allowing more access to all walks of life. Images come with this communication and people see ways of life they could never have imagined before. The economies of Europe and the United States are declining but the images of how life should be are not. With recent news of the World Cup and the supposed ever growing economy, with the exception of the last year, Brazil appears to be a viable prospect for people wishing to change their status in life. Potential immigrants also hear stories from friends of jobs and a better life, and in hope come. That is the key to the problem, just like the United States where illegal immigration is not condoled but still occurs rampantly. Employers in the constant struggle of globalization and survival in the ever competitive markets continue to search for ways to cheapen costs and produce more. In turn they're more likely to hire an illegal immigrant, or a recent legal one willing to work cheaper than most locals. Brazil still has unemployment and high inequality, why has there not been a larger focus on hiring the unemployed residents of the favelas? The article points out that fifty Haitians had been hired several weeks ago, why, are they cheaper to hire or easier to take advantage of in a foreign country with a work visa at best, likely. To stop illegal immigration just as in the United States or with drugs you must stop the demand. Go after employers who hire illegals and the problem will start to fix itself. Like drugs if there is no demand or market then no one will supply the product. If there is no one willing to hire these immigrants then they won't come.
ReplyDeleteIn these days of easy access to information Brazil should take advantage of such a power. A picture is worth a thousand words, so show a lot of them. Take pictures of refugee camp, show the squalid conditions. The lack of running water, food, and proper sanitation. I understand that such a thing might damage the reputation or honor of Brazil, which could pose a problem. But if the immigrants continue then a country that already struggles with their own poor is going to have a even bigger problem. So I say show the rest of the world and potential unwanted immigrants that Brazil for illegals and refugees can be just as bad as where they currently are. State there is nothing here for them, that they will not be able to find a job, and that there current situation would be the same if not worse if they were to emigrate to Brazil.
I'm not to sure if the second course of action is a viable one, as stated before Brazilian national pride may be damaged by it. I'm not sure if the public would support such an idea but they're not who your trying prevent from entering the country. I fully believe though that by going after employers that the flow of immigrants will significantly decrease. Therefore make that part of your campaign. Show to the world that there is nothing for unwanted migrants to Brazil, while at the same time make it a point of nationalism to hire the poor citizens of their "great" country.
Often the poor are alienated and not seen as fit to hire. This is due in part to the social stigma held by the elite of Brazil not to trust those in the favelas. Often they have a criminal past, often drug related. Which is another source of the immigration problem. If the potential working poor have a minor drug offense on their record they're less likely to get a job. Therefore I would reform some of Brazil's draconian drug laws pertaining to personel consumption. Allowing less citizens to feel and be alienated while increasing the supply of a legal workforce in search of upward mobility.
While I agree that immigration is a problem in Brazil I don't think that prosecuting firms that hire undocumented individuals will solve the problem.A temporary visa program would work many times better in the current Brazilian economic climate. In that way, the Brazilian government can remedy camps on border towns and provide cheap labor for construction of Olympic and world cup facilities. When the temporary Visa has expired after the international events, Brazil can then prolong or revoke stays within the country.
DeleteAttacking firms for hiring much needed labor will simply drive undocumented workers into jobs that pay under the counter. Resulting in wages at less than the cost of living and a sector of the economy not paying taxes.
I had always known that Mexico had been dealing with a weight issue but I did not realize just how badly diabetes was effecting the country. As mentioned in the article there is no negative stigma associated with being over weight making this a deep cultural issue. I honestly don't really know what can be done about this problem, the most likely scenario is things are going to get so bad and diabetes is going to get out of control in Mexico before people as a whole start making necessary changes.
ReplyDeletePersonally I think Brazil needs to be more restrictive on the immigration policies. A mass influx of immigrants will likely create more problems in their future in my opinion and they already have enough people in their country that need employment from the upcoming World Cup. They should be giving their own people priority on those jobs before immigrants.
I believe that the best way to solve the problem of obesity in Mexico is educating the children and focusing on the youth. Through school programs and education we can impact the youth and create the negative stigma of obesity. We have already seen the success of many of these programs here in the US whether they are through the schools or even through the Church encouraging exercise and nutrition.
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to the problems in Brazil I agree with Brett and others that they do need to be more restrictive on their immigration policies especially with the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Summer Olympics that are about to create thousands of job opportunities in construction. Through employment Brazil can also help solve the problems of drug abuse in the street by employing addicts and making help more accessible to those in need who now may have a steady income. The programs like that of dentist who fix these addicts teeth can help to continue to motivate many of the addicts to improve their life and leave the streets there by cleaning up the cities and benefiting Brazil overall for the up and coming World Cup and Olympics.
I had no idea that Mexico had a worse obesity problem then the United States. I was also surprised to hear that their culture practically embraces obesity. I agree with the article, if there isn't a strong negative connotation with obesity then policy makers are going to face heavy opposition in trying to reduce it. Mexico needs to focus on reducing these numbers just like every country should. Not only is it not good to have such an unhealthy population, but the medical costs that the state has to pay to support this lifestyle must be outrageous. Mexico should start a program aimed at young kids to get them thinking about health early on. I think that Is really the only way Mexico will have in trying to turn this obesity problem around.
ReplyDeleteBrazil's issue with over 2,000 crack addicts in one district in Sao Paulo is severely startling and demands immediate attention. With Brazil housing more crack addicts than anywhere else in the world, the country and its leaders need to consider the possibilities of a drug proliferating future. The more and more Brazilian citizens that become addicted to this very accessible drug, the more addicts Brazil can expect to house. These addicts will soon become unable to work and will refrain from contributing to the growing economy, ultimately hurting the country. As the population of crack addicts grows, violence may also likely increase. According to the Economist article, many of the addicts have been attending the drug treatment center CRATOD, a public facility, and, "almost all in-patients were admitted voluntarily," showing that many of those addicted to drugs are willing to turn their lives around. However, in order to increase the recovering addict population, more rehab facilities need to become better accessible and lower in prices so addicts may attain treatment. While "cracking down on crack" may not be the immediate answer, building more treatment programs for those addicted will ultimately benefit the country of Brazil and it's citizens.
ReplyDeleteits** citizens.
DeleteThough it might seem far fetched, I think there are many parallels between the U.S drug problem and the Mexican diabetes epidemic. Both epidemics are sourced in foreign nations; one just happens to be an underground market while the other is a mainstream and legal market. The demand for illegal drugs by U.S consumers is satisfied by Mexican drug cartels that smuggle the supply north into the U.S. Similarly, the Mexican demand for junk foods (which contribute to diabetes) is supplied by America companies. So, if the drug problem in the united states can be blamed on the Mexican suppliers, then it would justified to blame some of the diabetes problems in Mexico on American companies like Coca-Cola,Frito-Lays, and MacDonalds . In order to protect the health of its’ citizens, the U.S spends billions of dollars to keep Mexican drugs out of the States. The question that remains is; should the Mexican government, in the best interest of its citizens health, act in a manner to limit the production and import of American junk food?
ReplyDeleteMcDonalds*
ReplyDeleteI think that the most effective policy for the growing issue of diabetes in Mexico would be to educate the population, focusing on in-school health education. This approach, as was stated in the Economist article "Diabetes in Mexico", would not disproportionately harm the poor like a soda tax or "sin tax"(Economist) would. Although many poor children work rather than go to school, the social norms would change after a while and this would influence what is cheaper or more available for the poor food and drink-wise.
ReplyDeleteFor Brazil's immigration issue, I would definitely tighten up the border and let people know that Brazil is not as open to as many foreigners. If more immigrants continue to flow into the country at the rate they are, while economic and job growth grow much more slowly, then Brazil's economy and government will face an issue of unemployment. If there is a high supply of willing and able workers this will cause wages to fall for the lower skill jobs that are being sought by many immigrants. This does not benefit lower class Brazilians or immigrants as the price of living rises in many main cities.
After reading the articles and everyone’s comments, there were a few of statements that caught my attention. First, several people believe that obesity in Mexico is “a cultural issue”. Second, Brazil’s problem with immigration could be solved by tighten their borders or immigration policies. Third, drug problems are result on demand increase and less on government inability to deal with the problem.
ReplyDeleteAccording to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the % of obesity in Mexico is 24.4, only preceded by the US with 30.6% and followed by the UK with 23%. I believe that using the term “gordito” as term of endearment does not imply a cultural issue. In fact, the term “flaquito” is equally used and anorexia is definitely not an issue in any Latin American country. I do agree it is a matter of education, and Mexico’s vicinity to the US have had a direct impact at different levels not only in the quality of the food imports from US but in the eating habits as well. Therefore, this being a national health issue it needs to be addressed by the government through policies and resources that support education of healthy eating and promote physical activities at all age levels. In fact, WHO projections for diabetes in the US and Mexico show that from 2000 to 2030, US will have an increase of 71% of people suffering this illness and Mexico 181%. Equally alarming numbers that required immediate attention from both governments.
Regarding Brazil’s current immigration issue, I think the US can provide a good list of things Not to do. Such is the case of closing borders, increase or tighten policies, mistreat immigrate workers, and worst of all, ignore the problem. It is my understanding that if the receiving country defines its needs, clearly communicates requirements and offerings, qualifies and organizes the incoming flux of workers and complies, it would be able to leverage on this human resource for the good of the country and its people. In summary, Brazil needs to take action for economic reasons, as well as humanitarian.
The third issue I would like to comment is the increasing use of drugs in countries that are located in the traffickers’ route to large demand markets such as US and Europe. I understand drug dealers pay transports and fees along the way to locals with drug, rarely money. This drug is then sold locally. The easier or less watched the route is, the more traffic it gets, the more drug available for sale. A good example of this is Venezuela. Since Plan Colombia took place and the Venezuelan government was favorable to the FARC, the border between both countries was relaxed and drug business started to flow freely. An increase of drugs sales was seen immediately in Venezuela and the dynamic that comes along with it. Perhaps Brazil’s extensive border has gaps not watched by the Brazilian armed forces, as we have seen with the incoming immigrants that access the country through Ecuador and Bolivia. Even if this was partially the case, the government is highly responsible so its participation in providing the solution in form of treatments and providing resources for people to get clean is a moral responsibility.
In regards to the article on "Cracolandia" and Brazil and Sao Paulo's drug problem, there does not appear to be any viable immediate solution. The proposal for a hospital would make a lot of sense, but it seems that this problem will need to be addressed from multiple angles should it be solved. This could include a treatment center, specializing in outpatient therapy, a network of half-way houses set up, and a change in attitude towards prosecution of addicts, similar to what has been achieved in Portugal. On the other hand, this could also be an example of things needing to get worse before they get better, as seen in the United States with their own crack epidemic, but then again Brazil has been considered a "country of the future" for more than fifty years.
ReplyDeleteI agree that there needs to be a change in attitude towards the prosecution of addicts. A lot of these users aren't harming anyone besides themselves. 'Strong-amered tactics against the crack epidemic are doing nothing but fulling up the prisons. Gangs are born in these prisons with hellish conditions, and handle the distribution of the drugs. Placing addicts in the prison system doesn't help them stop using. Instead of spending money on imprisoning addicts, the money should be spent on rehabilitation programs as you suggested.
DeleteHealth, immigration, and drug consumption are all relatively new challenges that are being faced by governments throughout Latin America. These new challenges, although problematic, represent an opportunity for existing institutions to adapt to the current circumstances and adopt innovative strategies to deal with these issues. On one hand these challenges can be problematic for countries such as Mexico and Brazil because they lack experience in dealing with these issues, however, on the other hand these challenges represent an opportunity for countries in Latin America to create new policies and reform institutions while taking into account the mistakes made by the United States in the past as well as the successes that have taken place in countries such as Portugal, the Netherlands. I believe that Latin American policy makers should look at these challenges as a chance to create progressive sustainable solutions, in turn setting a global precedent for other countries dealing with similar issues.
ReplyDeleteRegarding the issue of drug consumption in Brazil, it is clear from the Economist article, Cracking Up, that strong arm tactics similar to those utilized in the United States war on drugs has done little to quell Brazil’s domestic drug consumption and in turn has jam-packed Brazil’s prisons to the point at which there are twice as many inmates as a decade ago.
If I was a policy maker in Brazil I would peruse a more liberal drug policy, one that is similar to policies in Portugal and the Netherlands. I think that strong arm tactics such as those used by the United States in their war on drugs does little to decrease drug consumption and has minimal effects other than filling prisons. I think that unilateral legalization of drugs in Brazil is highly unlikely; however, I think that Brazil would benefit from a plan that would decriminalize small amounts of all drugs and would legalize and regulate marijuana. As a result, criminal entities would lose a large part of their profits and marijuana users would not be treated as criminals, rather, through this process the use of marijuana would become normalized such as alcohol or tobacco. Tax revenues from marijuana and money saved from a smaller prison population would be used to create prevention campaigns, build treatment and rehabilitation facilities, and combat the illegal production and trafficking of drugs. I think that it is important to recognize drug addicts not as criminals but rather as individuals suffering from a disease, thus focusing the attention of law enforcement on those responsible for producing and distributing these drugs instead of the users. Although I think treatment and rehabilitation for drug addicts is important it is very hard to keep those who are addicted to drugs in these rehabilitation programs and it is also highly unlikely that once the addicts leave treatment that they will stay clean. For these reasons I think that Brazil’s drug policy should focus more on prevention and less on treatment. Children would be taught in school that there are varying degrees of danger associated with different drugs (Marijuana being the least dangerous) and that any drug can be abused. Harder drugs such as crack, meth, and heroine would be depicted as life ruining substances through campaigns aimed at evoking shock and disgust such as the anti-meth campaigns in the United States. The fact of the matter is there will always be a demand for drugs and thus a supply. However strategies such as decriminalization, regulation, and prevention contribute to the reduction of drug consumption and the eradication of criminal entities responsible for the production and distribution of drugs.
Works cited
Nadelmann, Ethan. "Regulate Drug Use, Don’t Criminalize It." Nytimes.com. N.p., 30 May 2012. Web. 16 Apr. 2013
Brazil and Immigration – Cracking Up
ReplyDeleteI found this article very interesting, because I feel like many of the issues that Brazil is facing with immigration parallels that of the US. It’s sad to think about these people that have given up everything to move to a place in hopes of a better life. I’m not sure what the answer is, however I do feel that citizens within Brazil should be given priority when it comes to jobs. With Brazil’s slowing economy I fear that a lack of jobs will follow, thus resulting in poor conditions and opportunities for the immigrants. I hope that the US and Brazil can both find a respectful solution to this issue. The article “Cracking up” is one that really concerns me, I feel that with the drug lords pushing for new markets in places like Brazil it could cause the problem to get even worse and fast if something is not done. Although, I feel that it is important for treatment facilities to be put in place, I think a better solution would be to prevent the younger generations from using at all. I’m not saying they should give false information like many classrooms have done in the US, but real facts like the ones used to prevent cigarette use. So, instead of a temporary fix that would drain tax payers money and never fix the problem, we need to work are way up starting at the bottom to find a solution.
The article giving an illustration of how the crack cocaine epidemic has affected a city in Brazil, sounds all too familiar when policies make war on drugs. For the fact that populations of people in the Latin Americas have an access to crack cocaine, the use and distribution will ultimately be at an all time high. Unfortunately the communities that suffer most as a result to drug use seem to be large cities of high poverty rates. Resources are limited in these areas, beneficial work is hard to come by, and because of the drug issue and stigma on the community the money for the city goes elsewhere. How do we fix the problem? For one, in areas such as these communities, to many addicts and families of addicts the area paints a picture of no hope. The best thing to do for communities such as the city in Brazil is to offer these people an idea of hope. Policies that instead of generate prison sentences which create greater addiction, brokenness, and loss of all processions (even oneself) ; there needs to be helpful opportunity created in building the people and families.
ReplyDeleteI believe that in order to restore a community into its desired status and allow it to progress, you must start with the people in it. If the people are broken then will be the community. By establishing shelters and treatment facilities will aim to clean up some of the issues of drug use, but that alone won’t fix the problem. Better educational systems need to be provided for both patience and the families. By doing this you are informing the addict of what is going on with them, but also educating them and allowing them to see how they impact their own families, much like an intervention. Schooling eliminates the continual expectation of drug use in the society and prepares community members for career options. By building on the expectation of the people, educating them, and providing work all the continual involvement in something will not leave time for excessive drug use.
The idea is not to just give, but to educate so that families and community members take initiative within themselves. By committing to help financially in building establishments for educating, housing, and treatment will initially be a risk and a sacrifice, however it will create a sense of hope to the people. I believe with some hope, time, and education along with financial and professional assistance drug use will be less problematic and the people will learn to contribute to building their city to what it can be.
In Mexico, diabetes has become a severe public health issue as one of the top two causes of death in the country. The rate of obesity has risen rapidly, and Mexico is now one of the most overweight nations in the world, surpassing the US, according to The Economist. Mexico’s political leadership needs to address the root causes of such a widespread health problem, examine issues of culture and education, and look to wealth distribution to implement long-term solutions.
ReplyDeleteCurrently, Mexico is focused on other pressing issues of security such as gang violence and drug trafficking, as well as HIV/AIDS as a public health issue. However, there is no real discussion about the threat of diabetes and obesity because health and diet are not presented as a public health concern in Mexican culture. In fact, as mentioned in The Economist, heavier weight was often considered a sign of prosperity. There is no cultural taboo around obesity and junk food in part because of this long-standing culture and tradition around food. Here lies public responsibility of the health industry, the media, and educational institutions to transform this deep-rooted misconception around nutrition.
The media, and in turn the Mexican government, need to devote more of their focus to publicizing diabetes as a health issue and opening debate to potential government reforms and regulation of harmful foods and lifestyles. The more public awareness of this issue, the more open people will become to such drastic cultural changes. Reform of public education curriculum to include nutrition and health education regarding obesity and diabetes should be a primary focus of Mexican leadership. Mexico needs more long-term solutions to this problem, and education is a seemingly effective way of achieving this.
Furthermore, Mexico’s development and rapidly growing economy has contributed to the increase in health concerns. As The Economist suggests, Mexico has sustained rapid economic growth in a twenty year period that most developing nations cultivate over centuries. This has resulted in much instability as Mexico’s culture struggles to keep up with these advances, and as Vanden and Prevost state, the benefits of economic growth have been unevenly distributed. Proximity to the US and its fast food industry is also a concern. As stated in the Edmonds Poli Chapter, US influences in Mexico have increased significantly due to the economic integration of the two countries. This includes an increase of US fast-food franchises and large food and drink companies within Mexico. The United States can serve as an example in which the prominence of big food and drink conglomerates has negatively affected the rates of obesity and diabetes. The US, in part due to big business ties to government and legislation, has failed to regulate fast food and has suffered the consequences. Mexico could take this as an incentive to regulate junk food, provide more public education, and even in some cases implement a ‘sin tax’ on foods that are directly correlated to overweight issues, much in the same way that cigarettes and alcohol are taxed.
However, there is a greater issue aside from public education and awareness. Economic inequality greatly contributes to this epidemic, and there is a responsibility of the Mexican government to address issues of wealth inequality and access when it comes to healthier foods and lifestyles. As Dresser argues in Chapter 10, there is inertia in regards to political and economic reforms in Mexico. There are many political factors that prevent Mexican government from effectively creating political and economic reforms. However, until more complex economic issues and deeper government reforms are addressed, health problems due to inequality will continue to grow.
The most impactful solutions that Mexican leaders can prioritize are education, public awareness, wealth inequality and access to healthy living. If Mexico places more urgency on the epidemic of diabetes, it will not only benefit Mexican citizens, but Mexico’s health care system overall.
The article “Drugs in Brazil” makes it extremely evident that something about the drug situation in Brazil needs to change. With over one million people addicted to a drug as soul sucking as crack cocaine, something needs to be changed about the way the drug is looked at. As has been discussed at some point in class, one way to go about this is to treat drug addiction strictly as a medical problem, rather than a crime. This approach causes the drug to be less desirable in the first place because rather than taboo it is looked at as purely something that is wrong with people. This makes the drug less appealing to try in the first place.
ReplyDeleteThe other route is to legalize or at least decriminalize the use of the drug. While this does not solve the problem of the drug use, it would at least keep Brazilian prisons at normal capacity, rather than overfilled with nonviolent drug offenders. In this case the government would need to continue to scale back on their own involvement and allow nongovernmental organizations to take the lead in the fight.
Regardless of which way Brazil could choose to deal with their problem, arguably the biggest thing they need to do is educate people about the effects of drugs. With an increase in antidrug education, numbers of addicts will steadily decrease, especially if the education is targeted towards children and teenagers at ages where they might soon become addicts themselves.
In response to the health problems discussed in the Mexico article I think that as policy maker they could go about using a variety of strategies in combating this problem. According to the article 70,000 people in Mexico die every year, because of diabetes. This is a staggering number when considering that 60,000 people have died in the past 6 years from organized crime and the amount of attention that those types of deaths receive. As is stated in the article, its time that the government takes measures in addressing this issue.
ReplyDeleteAs a policy maker I would try and establish more institutions that encourage more exercise in any given persons everyday life. I think offering kids at a young age more opportunities to get involved with after school sports would help lower the obesity rates in the younger generations. Also I think that offering mandatory nutrition classes in schools at a target age group would help in spreading the awareness of how to go about eating the right calories and maintaining the right diet. This would not only help the younger generation by educating them, but it could also trickle down to the parents by having the kids relate this information to there parents and showing them the right foods to buy. In the Mexico article it states that in Mexico there is not much of a stigma attached to being overweight. So if the Mexican government can go about creating some kind of stigma in order to motivate the population to exercise and keep a healthy weight this could greatly benefit the population.
In order to fund these types of programs I would set higher taxes on foreign fast food companies such as McDonald’s. In my opinion Mexico can learn a lot from the US’s past and current errors. The US is one of the world’s most obese countries and it is mostly due to the overreliance of fast food as well as genetically modified foods that aren’t necessarily good for ones health. If Mexico can reduce the influence that fast food companies have on the public than it would be taking a step in the right direction in combating health problems such as diabetes. Also in my opinion Mexico can learn from the US by not going to the other extreme and creating the image that extremely underweight people specifically women are the ideal human beings. America does a great job in emphasizing these images through the modeling industry. Mexico would be wise to avoid such behaviors.
With regards to the article that discussed health problems in Mexico, specifically diabetes and issues associated with being over-weight, I find this article to be sad as well as interesting. I feel that the underlying reason that diabetes and similar health problems are so rampant throughout Mexico is its nearness to the United States. The article stated “Perhaps for Mexicans the biggest problem is living next door to the United States”. This brings a strong cultural influence of over-eating and consuming soda. Among the other reasons for these health issues in Mexico, I found the fact that Mexican culture largely has no problem with overweight lifestyles to be interesting. The celebrating of “gordito” children sets the overall health tone for many peoples lives and these traditions or cultural norm are often hard to break. I feel that cultural aspects like this need to be changed if Mexico wants to see a decline in diabetes. Also, the historical aspect mentioned of how being overweight used to be associated with being wealthy has definitely set a precedent that will be hard to change. I want to now focus attention on the regulation of diabetes prone foods in Mexico and future possibilities of helping this public health issue.
ReplyDeleteThe article mentioned how passing regulation regarding the taxing of soft drinks would be very difficult in a country that has very little stigma towards overweight people. It would also be difficult due to the fact that Coca-Cola has so much influence in Mexico and has helped influence similar legislation in the United States in the past. It seems that the tackling the broader social issues at hand as well as trying to shape the way in which the Mexican culture views un-healthy foods and overweight lifestyles is the best way to try and solve this problem. The article states, “the government should play up gluttony as a killer, as it does with cigarettes”. Stating how changing the way in which Mexican culture views over-eating and battling the issue in a similar manner as we have with cigarettes could help alleviate the problems. Lastly, the article mentioned targeting Mexican youth and schools as a necessity. With a third of Mexican children being obese, I feel that this is one of the best ways to attempt to implement a culture shift in Mexican eating habits. If the children can change their eating habits and extend them at home to parents and relatives, we may notice the very beginnings of a Mexican eating revolution.
From the article, "Drugs in Brazil," I got the idea that, although success is yet to come, Brazil is on the right track in cleaning up its drug problem. Clearly, the strong arm approach used by some City governments is failing. Convicting drug users as if they pose a direct and immediate threat to the community just leads to even more crowded prisons with even worse conditions as the cities struggle to pay to house the inmates. It is good that police have begun to hand the job of dealing with addicts to medical professionals and volunteers in order to focus only on drug dealers and those people that do actually threaten society. This, to me, seems like a step towards decriminalization and should give people more incentive to turn themselves in as addicts without the threat of facing criminal charges.
ReplyDeleteAlthough some cities, such as Sao Paulo, have drug treatment facilities, they are too few and too far. The ideal solution, or first step to one, would be to open up a rehabilitation facility where the drug problem is the worst, in Cracolandia. Drug users are way more likely to seek help if it is easy to access.
I also agree with previous posts that stressed the importance of education. Education is the first step to a healthier society. Along with opening up more rehab clinics, organizing programs, such as the US's DARE, can help educate children who might grow up to become crack addicts merely because they were not well-educated on its harmful or addictive affects.
In regards to the BBC News article on recent immigration trends in Brazil, I found this article to be very interesting for the fact that I'm not sure whether this is a positive sign for Brazil, a negative sign, or both. It is a potential positive sign because it is truly showing that Brazil, along with Latin America in general, is becoming an attractive place for people to immigrate to in order to find work due to the growing economies. The bad part about it is that Brazil now must find ways to handle this immigration in order for the people who are trying to immigrate to not have to live in the conditions that they are facing now. It's sad too that some of the immigration populations such as the Haitians are receiving more favorable treatment. I understand that they are a special case due the earthquake that struck their country in 2010 but all the ethnic populations who are immigrating to Brazil are doing so because of poor conditions in their home countries. If I was was a policy maker in Brazil who was trying to handle this new influx in immigration, I would try and create policies that would allow for more temporary visas which would allow for the populations at these shelters to at least disperse a little and move throughout the country. Another policy I would try to enact would be to open more places where these immigrants can get visas so that again there wouldn't be such a high concentration of people in a small area.
ReplyDeleteI agree with ryan in that this can be looked at as both a positive and negative thing. I think that with Brazil and other Latin American countries having open borders, it becomes very appealing for foreigners to emigrate there even temporarily for work.
DeleteUnfortunately Brazil's economy is still in the process of growing and therefore they need to be cautious of allowing too many workers taking away from the opportunities of others until the economy is in a true boom phase when they are seeking help. But of course, these workers will probably work for cheaper than the citizens, so the brazilian government is stuck in a difficult place.
Maybe temporary visas would be a good idea!
While the issues addressed in each article are very different, the theme I see among them is the increasingly globalized world we live in and the unintended negative effects that connectedness with the U.S. can often have on Latin America. For example, the BBC article reveals the effect that the United States has had on the less than ideal situation in Brasileia - "Others say they had no plans to live in Brazil but the economic crisis has made it harder to migrate to Europe and to the US." This article highlights the unintended, yet far-reaching, negative effects of the United States' 2009 financial collapse on the lives of citizens across the globe. They are now looking to other growing world-powers, like Brazil, and therefore greatly straining public services.
ReplyDeleteThe second article, "Drugs in Brazil", also hints at the United States partial responsibility for increased drug-abuse in Brazil. The article reads, "In the past 20 years, as American consumers shifted to synthetic drugs, traffickers in the coca-growing countries—Bolivia, Colombia and Peru—sought new markets." In other words, U.S. consumers evolving recreational preferences have manifested themselves by increased consumption and addiction in Brazil. Though unintended, the U.S. once again has significant influence over Latin America.
I believe the final article about diabetes in Mexico points the finger at the United States most explicitly: "Perhaps for Mexicans the biggest problem is living next door to the United States, which means the fast food and super-sized culture has a particularly strong influence. So do the American food and drink giants who sell vast quantities south of the border and have already proved adept at fending off sin taxes and other forms of anti-obesity regulation in the United States." Although the article also hints at cultural reasons for increased obesity, it is this country's proximity to the United States that has made the problem so devastating.
Given all of these current issues facing Latin America, and their direct and indirect relationship with the United States, I believe that increased relations between L.A. and U.S. governments is imperative now more than ever. Yes, L.A. policy-makers can certainly address these problems domestically. However I believe it is only with increased discussion and compromise with the United States that any of these issues will be addressed to the fullest extent in a way that provides truly sustainable solutions.
The article on Brazil highlights a critical juncture in Latin American drug policy. As Latin American countries develop the amount of disposable income held by the constituents rises. This rise leads to an increase in the purchase and use of drugs. Looking at the united states as an example it would best to avoid policy that prohibits all drugs treating all cases with criminal punishment. Hypothetically Brazil could legalize all drugs creating markets and industry for these products. Hard drug use heroine/crack/meth usually stems from an addiction to another more expensive substances. I will use cocaine for an example. Getting deep into cocaine can lead the use of crack/meth because it is cheaper and comparable. Regulation and prevention is the way to tackle drug problems not criminlization. Allow the market to identify the problem areas.
ReplyDeleteIn regards to its present problems associated with drug use, I think that Brazil would be wise to implement policies aimed at addressing unemployment and poverty. As Dr. Sanho Tree stated in his recent speech on The War on Drugs, the main factors which drive drug use can be summed up by the acronym P.D.A - Poverty, Despair, and Alienation. Thus, rather than implementing a program which targets the users of drugs (a symptom), the government would be much more wise to target the actual causes of use/abuse - specifically, by focusing on poverty reduction, mental health services, and outreach initiatives. They could certainly learn from the U.S., but only in terms of what NOT to do moving forward - the U.S. chooses to lock up low level users (putting them in jails which act as criminal incubators), spend billions of dollars on failed reduction efforts, and ultimately do little to solve the underlying problem. Conversely, I think that Brazil could learn a great deal from Portugal, a country whose policies have shown themselves to be much more effective in reducing use, abuse, and addiction.
ReplyDeleteIn regards to the immigration issue, Brazil would be wise to reform its immigration policies before the influx of legal and illegal immigrants gets out of hand. As the United States continues to tighten its borders, Brazil and its rapidly growing economy will become an increasingly attractive destination for both refugees and individuals seeking gainful employment. While the U.S. has had *some* success in guarding its borders against illegal immigration, addressing this problem in Brazil will be a far greater challenge, particularly in light of their large border and relatively poor infrastructure (not to mention limited resources and small military). In terms of policies, I believe that Brazil could benefit immensely from a temporary worker program, as well as an improved/streamlined system for processing people entering the country - this will help prevent a holding pattern and the potential spread of crime, disease, etc. associated with clustering populations. Again, though they could learn much from the United States in this regard, I think they should be careful not to mimic our approach too closely - one that has been costly (in terms of money and human lives), relatively ineffective, and often prejudicial in its approach.
Finally, in regards to the rising rates of obesity in Mexico, I think the government should enact two sets of policies to address this epidemic. First, they should launch a public awareness education campaign to educate the population - particularly the poor - about the negative health effects associated with obesity. These programs would also provide information on alternative dietary choices and proper nutrition for children. Second, to complement the first, the government should create a program to present subsidies directly to the poorest families. But, as with Bolsa Familia in Brazil, the money should be conditional - specifically, parents should receive money for their children/families if they can maintain healthy weights, attend the educational programs, and buy specific food items that are more nutritious. Similar to the previous two cases, I do not think they should look to the United States for inspiration, as it is one of the least healthy nations on the planet (with a similarly astronomical obesity rate).
I do not mean to harp on the United States in this post. I have great pride in my country, and believe there are many things for which we are, and should be, the model which others should follow. It just so happens that I think we have a terrible/flawed approach to these three issues: Our War on Drugs has Failed, Our Immigration Policies are Embarrassing, and we are getting less healthy by the minute.
Cheers.
It's extremely sad that Mexico has one of the highest diabetes rates in the world. With Mexico's poverty and proximity to the United States, it really does seem likely that many of their citizens would suffer from diabetes. Cheap foods high in sugars, fats, salts, and high fructose corn syrup are flooding the market and are much less expensive to natural, all organic foods. It's a crime that now these cheap, processed foods are prevalent world wide and are causing thousands of deaths. Mexico seems to be in the wrong place geographically. The neighbor to the north, The United States, is the king of processed foods. They are able to set up factories where processed foods are made in Mexico. In turn, processed foods are available in Mexico for very cheap. This creates a huge impact on poor families who can afford nothing but unhealthy foods, which in turn slowly kills them.
ReplyDeleteIt is hard for me to fathom that Mexico is struggling with diabetes and obesity while all over Latin America people are dying from hunger and poor living conditions. I understand that the same thing happens in the United States, but this is appalling to me as well. Poor countries with weak institutions are obviously taking away from what really matters, their people. By aiding in ridiculous attempts to stop drug trafficking and violence, health and population well being is going down the drain. Crack is now the norm in Brazil? The lack of attention to what really matters is what is bringing everything down. Rebuild the people and you can rebuild how the society functions. Drugs, violence, horrible living conditions, those will never be sustainable until the people are able to live in a place where their needs are met.
ReplyDeleteThe article exploring the crack problem in the slums of Brazil really accentuates the need for reform in many aspects in the country. Once again, the dangers of the drug trade that has run rampant in Latin America create a ripple effect of destruction. The gangs and dealers themselves are the ones that cause the violence in the streets, but that is only part of the problem. The growing crack addiction issue in Brazil is forcing residents and businesses to relocate out of crack ridden areas. These people are as much a problem as the rest of the drug market, they need help. It is necessary for Brazil and other countries struggling with drug issues to not only find viable means for prevention of the distribution of drugs, but also a way to aid addicts and people affected by the destruction of drugs.
ReplyDeleteI think the "sin tax" option might not be a bad short term policy in Mexico as funds generated from it can be used in education and treatment efforts as well. Aside from the genetic component diabetes is a "lifestyle" disease and changing patterns of behavior can be extremely difficult. The Mexican government should make a greater attempt to discover what the causes are; ie cost, convenience, taste preference, habit, etc.
ReplyDeleteThe crack problem in Brazil is a truly tragic one and incredibly difficult to solve as in order for people to be rehabilitated to the point that they are free of state support requires a job market for them to participate in. And although Brazil has enjoyed continued growth during the global economic downturn the jobs and economic benefits have not found a path to the inhabitants of Cracolândia.