Biography of Mary Sibley, Salem Witch Trials Witness

Biography of Mary Sibley, Salem Witch Trials Witness Mary Sibley (April 21, 1660–ca. 1761) was a key but minor figure in the historical record of the Salem Witch Trials in Massachusetts Colony of 1692. She was the neighbor of the Parris family who advised John Indian to make a witch’s cake. The denouncing of that act has been seen as one of the triggers of the witch craze that followed. Fast Facts: Mary Sibley Known For: Key role in the Salem Witch Trials of 1692Born: April 21, 1660 in Salem, Essex County, MassachusettsParents: Benjamin and Rebecca Canterbury WoodrowDied: c. 1761Education: UnknownSpouse: Samuel Sibley (or Siblehahy or Sibly), February 12, 1656/1257–1708. m. 1686Children: At least 7 Early Life Mary Sibley was a real person, born Mary Woodrow on April 21, 1660 in Salem, in Essex County, Massachusetts. Her parents, Benjamin Woodrow (1635–1697) and Rebecca Canterbury (spelled Catebruy or Cantlebury, 1630–1663), were born in Salem to parents from England. Mary had at least one brother Jospeh/Joseph, born about 1663. Rebecca died when Mary was about 3 years old. Nothing is known of her education, but in 1686, when Mary was about 26 years old, she married Samuel Sibley.  Their first two children were born before 1692, one was born in 1692 (a son, William), and four more were born after the events at Salem, after 1693. Samuel Sibleys Connection to Salem Accusers Mary Sibleys husband had a sister Mary, who was married to Captain Jonathan Walcott or  Wolcott, and their daughter was Mary Wolcott. Mary Wolcott became one of the accusers of witches in the Salem community in May 1692 when she was about 17 years old. Those she accused included  Ann Foster. Mary Wolcott’s father John had remarried after Samuels sister Mary died, and Mary Wolcotts new stepmother was Deliverance Putnam Wolcott, a sister of Thomas Putnam, Jr.  Thomas Putnam Jr. was  one of the accusers at Salem as were his wife and daughter, Ann Putnam, Sr. and Ann Putnam, Jr. Salem 1692 In January of 1692, two girls in the home of the Rev. Samuel Parris, Elizabeth (Betty) Parris  and  Abigail Williams, ages 9 and 12,  began exhibiting very strange symptoms, and a  Caribbean slave, Tituba, also experienced images of the devil- all according to later testimony.  A doctor diagnosed the â€Å"Evil Hand† as the cause, and Mary Sibley offered the idea of the witch’s cake to John Indian, a Caribbean slave of the Parris family. The primary evidence in the trial against the group was the witchs cake, a common folk magic tool made using the urine of the afflicted girls. Supposedly, sympathetic magic meant that the evil afflicting them would be in the cake, and, when a dog consumed the cake, it would point to the witches who had afflicted them.  While this was apparently a known practice in English folk culture to identify likely witches, the Rev. Parris in his Sunday sermon denounced even such well-intentioned  uses of magic, as they could also be â€Å"diabolical† (works of the devil). The witchs cake didnt stop the afflictions of the two girls.  Instead, two additional girls began to show some afflictions:  Ann Putnam Jr.,  connected to Mary Sibley through her husbands brother-in-law, and Elizabeth Hubbard. Confession and Restoration Mary Sibley confessed in church that she had erred, and the congregation acknowledged their satisfaction with her confession by a show of hands. She probably thereby avoided being accused as a witch. The next month, the town records note her suspension from communion and restoration to full congregational inclusion when she made her confession. March 11, 1692 – Mary, the wife of Samuel Sibley, having been suspended from communion with the church there, for the advices she gave John [husband of Tituba] to make the above experiment, is restored on confession that her purpose was innocent. Neither Mary nor Samuel Sibley appears on the 1689 register of covenanted church members of the Salem Village church, so they must have joined after that date. According to genealogical records, she lived well into her nineties, dying about 1761. Fictional Representations In the 2014 Salem-based supernatural scripted series  from WGN America, Salem,  Janet Montgomery stared as Mary Sibley, who in this fictional representation is an actual witch. She is, in the fictional universe, the most powerful witch in Salem.  Her maiden name is Mary Walcott, similar but not the same as the maiden name, Woodrow, of the real-life Mary Sibley. Another Mary Walcott in the real Salem universe was one of the key accusers at age 17, a niece of Ann Putnam Sr. and cousin of Ann Putnam Jr. That Mary Walcott (or Wolcott) in the real Salem was a niece of Samuel Sibley, husband of the Mary Sibley who baked the witchs cake.  The producers of the  Salem  series seem to have combined the characters of Mary Walcott and Mary Sibley, niece, and aunt, to create a completely fictionalized character. In the pilot of the series, the fictional Mary Sibley assists her husband in throwing up a frog. In this version of the Salem witch history, Mary Sibley is married to George Sibley and is a former lover of John Alden (who is much younger in the show than he was in the real Salem.) The Salem  show even introduced a character, Countess Marburg, a German witch  and terrible villain who has had an unnaturally long life.  At the end of Season 2, Tituba and the Countess die, but Mary goes on for another season. Ultimately, Mary comes to wholeheartedly regret her choices. She and her lover are reconciled and fight for the future together. Sources Ancestry.com.  Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988  [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.  Original data:  Town and City Clerks of Massachusetts.  Massachusetts Vital and Town Records. Provo, UT: Holbrook Research Institute (Jay and Delene Holbrook).  Note that the image clearly shows 1660 as the birth date, though the text at the site interprets it as 1666.Mary Sibley. Geni, January 22, 2019.Yates Publishing.  U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900  [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.Jalalzai, Zubeda. Historical Fiction and Maryse Condà ©s I, Tituba, Black Witch of Salem. African American Review 43.2/3 (2009): 413–25.Latner, Richard. Here Are No Newters: Witchcraft and Religious Discord in Salem Village and Andover. The New England Quarterly 79.1 (2006): 92–122.Ray, Benjamin C. The Salem Witch Mania: Recent Scholarship and American History Textbooks. Journal of the American Academy of Religion 78.1 (2010): 40–64. Satans War against the Covenant in Salem Village, 1692. The New England Quarterly 80.1 (2007): 69–95.

3 Cases of Dangling Participles

3 Cases of Dangling Participles 3 Cases of Dangling Participles 3 Cases of Dangling Participles By Mark Nichol Dangling participles are verbs that are intended to refer to a particular noun but that, because of how the main clause of the sentence is crafted, do not support the noun. The main clause, and the subordinate clause (often appearing at the head of the sentence), may in and of themselves be grammatically valid, but they do not match- often with unintentionally humorous results. Here are three sentences that suffer from dangling participles; each is followed by a discussion and a revision. 1. Growing up as an undersized kid, punk music helped him find some sense of belonging. This sentence erroneously identifies punk music as an undersized kid. To correct this error, a subject that the participle applies to must be inserted at the head of the main clause, which must be further revised to convey the intended idea: â€Å"Growing up as an undersized kid, he found some sense of belonging in punk music.† The sentence can also be recast as a simple main clause (â€Å"Punk music helped him find some sense of belonging as he grew up as an undersized kid†), but this version is more prosaic. 2. Formally established on May 23, 1947, a primary role of this part-time military force is to conduct surveillance or sovereignty patrols as required. Here, a primary role, rather than the military force assigned the role, is said to be formally established on a certain date. In this case, the dangling participle can simply be relocated as a parenthetical following the sentence’s subject: â€Å"A primary role of this part-time force, formally established on May 23, 1947, is to conduct surveillance or sovereignty patrols as required.† 3. Seemingly perfectly preserved on the outside, the archaeologists were dismayed to find extensive damage within the chamber. In this sentence, archaeologists are described as being perfectly preserved on the outside. In some cases, the best way to avoid such errors is to thoroughly recast the entire sentence: â€Å"The archaeologists were dismayed to find that despite the chamber’s seemingly perfectly preserved exterior, the chamber itself had suffered extensive damage.† (This revision also places the key information at the end of the sentence, resulting in a greater impact.) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:100 Whimsical Words34 Writing Tips That Will Make You a Better WriterTreatment of Words That Include â€Å"Self†

Sex, Drugs, and the Fear of Secular Music Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Sex, Drugs, and the Fear of Secular Music - Essay Example The Christian issue of secular music cycles through society’s collective imagination with a precision worthy of the passing of the seasons. Each new generation brings with it a musical style that invokes fear and disgust among the existing Christian traditionalists. Vulgar lyrics and obscene choreography invites the question of whether Christians should be listening to secular music. Yet, no one can adequately define â€Å"secular† in reference to music, and the Bible offers little, if any guidance. There are Christian concerts with a floor show that makes â€Å"Black Sabbath† look like Sesame Street, while a Yo Yo Ma cello solo is labeled secular because it’s played at a Super Bowl half time show. It’s important to note that there can be a spiritual lesson in even the most crass music, just as lessons are learned from Christianity’s violent past. Even if it could be defined, there is no requirement for Christians to deny themselves all secul ar activities. Christians need to move beyond trying to label music, accept it that we learn about sin from the sinners, and in this world of diverse secular activities Christians should be listening to secular music.

Engineering management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Engineering management - Essay Example The oil and gas sector controls approximately 90% of the global economy. The gross domestic product of many oil producing and exporting countries is heavily reliant on the production of these resources [3]. Exploitation of oil and natural gas is done both onshore and offshore and it is then transported from the wells through pipelines to the refineries. Globally, an average of 2500-3000 billion barrels of oil is produced daily and due to the increasing demand for oil and natural gas, production has increased over the years [1]. Due to the increasing exploitation of oil, it is feared that this important resource will eventually be exhausted and there is need to put sustainable measures of exploitation in order to ensure that the economies are not adversely affected. Due to the increased production of oil, more networks of pipelines have been laid out to transport oil between points [3]. Losses of oil due to spillage and theft has increased substantially and this has mainly resulted fr om various factors such as: defects in materials, pipes corrosion, erosion on the ground, vandalism of oil facilities and the tectonic forces occurring due to movement of tectonic plates. The impact of these occurrences can be fatal since they result into environmental pollution, massive fires and if the spillage occurs onshore, marine life is greatly endangered [2]. Nigeria is the leading country in oil theft and spillage. Oil spillage results from corrosion of pipes, poor maintenance of the oil and gas facilities, sabotage, failure of equipment and theft. Multinational companies such as shell that have heavily invested in the country have lost millions of dollars due to oil spillage costing the economy one billion dollars every month [2]. The government of Nigeria has enacted laws to curb oil theft and spillage which enforce heavy

Asbestos Removal †Essential for Healthy Living Essay Example for Free

Asbestos Removal – Essential for Healthy Living Essay For all those who spend most of their time indoors, whether it is their home or office, the environment of these living spaces has a straight affect on their health. Therefore, it is essential for individuals to ensure that atmosphere in which they and their family members live, is secured and healthy. In most commercial and residential buildings, asbestos is used quite extensively. With high tensile strength, it is a highly heat resistant material that comes with good insulating properties. Asbestos is mostly used in manufacturing building materials such roofing, ceiling tiles, insulators and many other building supplies. It is considered a harmless material provided that the building supply in which it is used is undamaged. However, with the depletion of these building products, it becomes necessary to remove them as it starts releasing minute asbestos fibers into the air. Generally, most of these building supplies are labeled to indicate whether they comprise asbestos or not. If there is no such label, it becomes very essential to opt for asbestos testing Toronto to verify any presence of asbestos. Such tests help to ensure that the home is safe and free from exposure to asbestos. Asbestos may have harmful effects on the health as minute particles might get breathed into the lungs that can be cause of lung diseases. For this reason, asbestos removal Barrie is so important. As asbestos is commonly used in the manufacture of building materials due to its high insulating qualities thus it is crucial to test asbestos when individuals renovate or shift into a new house. It is always a good choice to hire experienced professionals expert in the technique of asbestos removal as they are aware of the set rules and regulations. One the most common organic contaminations that might occur indoors are the molds, which are mostly seen in places that lack proper ventilation and have presence of any damp areas inside the home or office. Molds can be found mostly in ceilings, wallpapers, underneath carpets, basements, bathrooms, kitchens, and places near a wet area. Even though it is very minute and can be hardly seen with naked eyes, it can be cause of various health issues. Mold inspection Toronto becomes apparent, if individuals happen to detect any signs of molds at their home or office. Molds can be easily removed with help of mold removal Barrie services. The presence of molds would not only affect the health but also damage the house, making it unsafe and unhealthy for the occupants. In such circumstances, mold testing Toronto helps to identify the type of mold, the degree of damage and the techniques required to remove them. When individuals hire services of professional experts, they can be assured that mold would be completely removed and that no place in the home or office is left out. Molds can affect health of those persons trying to remove molds on their own. Thus, it is necessary that this task is carried out by someone who has knowledge and experience to perform the work efficiently and effectively. The most vital thing is to take act immediately whenever there is any indication that the home or office has been attacked by molds.

Analysis of The Lost World by Michael Crichton Essay -- The Lost World

Analysis of The Lost World by Michael Crichton Michael Crichton's novel, The Lost World began with the exposition of a character who is infamous to Crichton's work, Ian Malcom. The entire introduction and prologue is about Malcom and his scientific views and theories. In a section of the book called 'Hypothesis';, Malcom discusses a theory of 'lost worlds'; - areas in which extinct beings may live, with Richard Levine, a man who's ideas were totally different from Malcoms. Levine and Malcom discuss a possible journey to an island that is suspected to be one of the so-called 'lost worlds';. At first, Malcom is reluctant and thinks that the idea is stupid. After much coaxing, Malcom agrees to go. Levine arrives on the island first, after a lot of useless chatter and talk and the introduction of two young characters, Arby and Kelley, who are students of Levine's and sometimes run errands for him. Almost immediately after they arrive, Levine and his assistant, Diego, begin to search for clues to what the science community calls 'aberrant forms';, which many people have spotted but have been unable to identify. They come to a stream bed, where they are attacked by a group of unidentifiable animals. They capture and kill Diego, and Levine is nearly killed. Malcom and his team of field researchers finally make it to the island - and Arby and Kelley stow away in one of the many high-tech trailers that they had taken on their expedition. After the first day or so goes smoothly, chaos breaks out. When three men, Dodgson, King, and Basselton decide to go to the island, thinking that no one has been there. They plan on stealing the dinosaur eggs and breeding them. In doing so, they cause a ruckus on the island, and the dinosaurs begin to lose their patience. They go on a killing spree, which is graphically described by Critchton as well as nearly killing Arby. The climax of the story comes when Malcom and Sarah Harding (one of his associates) get trapped in a trailer that is about to tumble off the ledge of a cliff. Luckily for them, they are saved by another of their colleagues, named Richard Thorn, saves them by using Dodgson's jeep (which they had thought was broken down, AND after they thought all three of the egg thieves were dead) and ties a rope to the trailer and miraculously saves them. The story isn't over yet, though. The group mi... ... putting together trailers for their expedition and they tell the boss that they are too weak and something could happen, but the boss ignores thim. It's so obvious, but it is foreshadowing. Also, another classic example of foreshadowing from the Jurassic Park series is the shaking and rumbling of the ground then a calm for a second or two before the t-rex attacks. Once again, obvious, but it's still an example of foreshadowing. All in all, this book was good even though I do not enjoy reading. Despite many things that I thought could have been clarified and in a lot of instances, were so dumb that they insulted me, I was entertained by the book. It had a little bit of everything†¦Mind games, action, gore and death, and what I thought was the best part of the entire book†¦Great characters. Between the most important characters, such as Malcom, to the lower-status ones such as Sarah Harding, or even Kelley and Arby's parents, who never actually appear†¦All of them were greatly put together. I might not be able to recommend this book to you if you are reading for pleasure, but if there was one book that you absolutely had to read, Michael Crichton's The Lost World has to be it.

Deborah Ellis Essay

Deborah Ellis started writing at age 11-12 inspired at a young age she grasped her talent. As a kid she was constantly moving from place to place due to her father’s work, and used writing as a coping method. When she grew up, her work and writing was mainly done by traveling and talking to others that have problems and taking note of everything. She started to write the book I am currently the Breadwinner her first book. The Breadwinner takes place in Afghanistan and the main character at only 12 years old is faced with the discrimination against women when her father is arrested by the Taliban and with no other way of providing for her family she dresses up as a boy and tries to find work. Coincidentally Ellis traveled to Afghanistan in 1997 to interview women located in refugee camps. These interviews helped her write her four part series of The Breadwinner. Her writing of this book was inspired by an interview with a mother living in one of the refugee camps. Ellis has become considered of the most beloved young adult writers today as well as being a philanthropist who donates almost all of her profit’s from her books to organizations like â€Å"UNICEF† and â€Å"Women for Women in Afghanistan†. Deborah Ellis is a very motivated person who feels strongly for the rights of women and takes that inspiration and uses it to write compelling stories. Of all the books she has wrote which has come to 18 in total, all of them have been moving stories of injustices. Deborah Ellis has achieved international recognition with her incredibly dramatic books that give readers a glimpse into the life of children in far out developing countries. Ellis has won the Governor General’s Award, Sweden’s Peter Pan Prize, the Ruth Schwartz Award, the University of California’s Middle East Book Award, the Jane Addams Children’s Book Award and the Vicky Metcalf Award. Deborah Ellis constantly finds new ways to express her feelings about the wrongs in the world and inspires us all when she writes about it.

Drawbacks of the Common Law System

Explain the drawbacks of the common law system in England and Wales. ‘Common law’ originated in England in the 11th century. Today in the United States of America, some common law principles from the original English Law are being applied.Alongside it is the branching body of Common Law which is in the process of being set as a part of stare decisis which itself is an abbreviation of the Latin phrase ‘stare decisis et non quieta movere’ which translates as ‘to stand by decisions and not to disturb settled matters’, whereby the judicial systems decisions and interpretation of statutory law provisions by judges, are becoming a part of the common law. Judges too do look to these decisions as a guideline, reference or as a necessary precedent to follow, whilst making their own decisions.Although advantages of the system have been significant in England and Wales, drawbacks of the system gradually came on par. As these decisions are based on past cas es, predictability of the outcome increased and people are more exposed to what should be expected, however so, with the element of predictability, absurdity on deciding cases may occur. In referring to a decided case, if there appears to be no change and the decision is followed again by a judge, a bad decision will eventually be perpetuated.And considering common law systems have been following precedents as a base, changes takes a long time to happen. In the meantime, a bad decision from a past case continues to be upheld. It became a major criticism of common law systems that it can be hard to locate the relevant principles due to the available volume of material. Common law which was based on the principle of binding precedent meant that judges must follow precedent even if they disagree with it.Judges too were not able to distinguish essentially similar cases although they were on grounds decision made would be inappropriate. Lord Denning too criticised the doctrine to stand b y what has been decided by saying, â€Å"if lawyers hold to their precedents too closely, forgetful of the fundamental principles of truth and justice which they should serve, they may find the whole edifice comes tumbling down about them. Just as the scientist seeks for truth, so the lawyer should seek for justice.Just as the scientist takes his instances and from them builds up his general propositions, so the lawyer should take his precedents and from them build up his general principles. Just as the propositions of the scientist fail to be modified when shown not to fit all instances, or even discarded when shown in error, so the principles of the lawyer should be modified when found to be unsuited to the times or discarded when found to work injustice. , which in other words meant accepting the decisions of old law leads to unfairness and injustice. Furthermore, when precedent appears absent the common law legal system will be bound to face difficulties in making judgements. D ifficulties will arise and flood various parties which include judges and those with intention to claim justice will be at lost with the unavailability of a decided precedent to refer to. This has been said on certain occasion to lead to a high degree of unpredictability based on illogical distinctions.

The Old Guitarist essays

The Old Guitarist essays To most people, a piece of artwork is just paint, colors, lines, and pictures that fill a blank canvas. Sometimes the whole story of the painting is evident, easily understandable through the dramatic poses of its subjects or the flamboyant backgrounds. But some paintings are not as loud as other paintings. It doesnt scream out and grabs peoples attention. The painting The Old Guitarist by Pablo Picasso is an example of a silent painting with a theme that can be interpreted into different ways, depending on the views of the person. When you first see the painting of The Old Guitarist, the dramatic blues will overcome your senses with a feeling of despair. People mostly associate blue with sadness, hence the phrase Why you feel so blue? The elongated fingers and the pitiful expression on the mans face will spark a sense of sadness. He plucks the strings of his guitars, as if playing a last song of hope. You immediately think of him as a poor beggar, with the tattered clothes on his back. Picasso extends our sympathy for this guy by not putting shoes on his feet. We wonder if hes cold in the streets. Then he is slouched down, as if he is tired from a hard day of looking for food or work. But he still has his guitar, the only thing not painted in a shade of blue. It stands out as if it is a symbol of who he is. If a person saw this painting, he can associate that the guitarist is just another starving performer, looking to make ends meet by playing in the streets. Havent we all seen street performers play for money? The guitarist in this picture could be playing an entertaining song for some people passing by. He may have lowered his head to entice the audience to give him more money, a trick of the trade by appealing to their emotions. But why does he seem tired? Im sure if he were a street performer, hed love what he was doing. But there can be a ...

University of Iowa GPA, SAT and ACT Admissions Data

University of Iowa GPA, SAT and ACT Admissions Data University of Iowa GPA, SAT and ACT Graph University of Iowa GPA, SAT Scores and ACT Scores for Admission. Data courtesy of Cappex. How Do You Measure Up at the University of Iowa? Calculate Your Chances of Getting In  with this free tool from Cappex. Discussion of the University of Iowas Admissions Standards: In 2015, over 80% of applicants were accepted to the University of Iowa most students who took high school academics seriously should be able to get in. In the graph above, the blue and green dots represent accepted students. You can see that the majority of successful applicants had high school grades in the A or B range, ACT composite scores of 20 or higher, and combined SAT scores of 1000 or better. The higher those grades and test scores, the better your chances are of receiving an acceptance letter from U of I. Note that there are a few red dots (rejected students) and yellow dots (waitlisted students) mixed in with the green and blue in the middle of the graph. Some students with grades and test scores that were on target for the University of Iowa did not win admission. On the flip side, note that some students were accepted with test scores and grades a little bit below the norm. This is because the University of Iowas admissions process is not entirely numerical. For most students, admission will be based on a a numerical equation that uses your GPA, composite ACT score, high school rank, and number of core courses. However, Iowa does have a holistic admissions process for students who do not qualify numerically, and for students who do not have a class rank. The holistic process takes into consideration a personal statement and letters of recommendation. Finally, note that different colleges at the University of Iowa have different admissions standard. The admission bar for the College of Nursing and Tippie College of Business is higher than that for the College of Liberal Arts Sciences. To learn more about the University of Iowa, high school GPAs, SAT scores and ACT scores, these articles can help: University of Iowa Admissions ProfileWhats a Good SAT Score?Whats a Good ACT Score?Whats Considered a Good Academic Record?What is a Weighted GPA? Articles Featuring the University of Iowa: Top Iowa Colleges and UniversitiesPhi Beta KappaAssociation of American UniversitiesBig 10 Conference If You Like the University of Iowa, You May Also Like These Schools Purdue University:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT Graph  Drake University:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT GraphIndiana University:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT GraphIowa State University:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT GraphMarquette University:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT GraphOhio State University:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT GraphBradley University:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of Chicago:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT GraphArizona State University:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of Illinois - Chicago:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT Graph

Effects of Drug Abuse on Society Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Effects of Drug Abuse on Society - Assignment Example Shockingly, almost 20 % of costs for hospitals in Medicaid and a quarter of funds allocated to Medicare and spent on inpatient care go to substance abuse treatments. Also, looking at our prisons, about 70% of individual inmates have once been regular drug users. The state prison population growth is accounted for by up to more than a third of drug offenders. Worse still is that this same group of individuals has contributed an 80% growth in the population of the prison since 1985. It can be seen that drug abuse is the number one cause for offenses committed by inmates and is also highly costly to the national budget. As Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse puts it, â€Å"Drug abuse and addiction are a major burden to society; economic costs alone are estimated to exceed half a trillion dollars annually in the United States, including health, crime-related costs, and losses in productivity. However, as staggering as these numbers are, they provide a limited perspective of the devastating consequences of this disease.† This picture shows how other aspects of the society can suffer underdevelopment due to drugs. The drugs problem affects every age group in the society including children who stay with their parents who are struggling with their addiction. Over time, studies by scientists on drug abuse were shadowed by myths. Drug addicts have been thought of as morally flawed and not having willpower. This view majorly shaped society’s response toward drug abuse. Instead of treating it as a health problem, it was taken to be a moral failing. As such, punitive criminal justice was the strategy of choice in curbing it. This was at the expense of therapeutic actions that are preventative and having a base in public health understanding regarding addiction and recovery. Recently done research has identified environmental, psychological and biological factors contributing to addiction development and progression.