Did you know that since 1976 more than 1,300 people have been executed in the U.S.? To Kill Or Not To Kill? by Patricia Smith is about the decline in the United States of capital punishment in recent years. It's surprising how un professional these executions are performed. Based on the outcome of recent botched executions evidence has shown that the drugs used to kill criminals have not been tested.

                          Two incidences where inmates were given the lethal drug suffered and did not die till 30 minutes later. The author writes "last April Clayton Lockett was strapped to a gurney in the death chamber of the Oklahoma State Penitentiary and had been given an infection when he started kicking, twitching, and then writhing and moaning in agony". This clearly demonstrates that Lockett was used as a lab rat. Also in July Arizona state took over two hours to kill Joseph R. Wood a reporter counted 640 gasps before he finally died. This part of the article makes my wonder why political leaders haven't imposed a nationwide moratorium on the death penalty. The inconsistencies of these tragic events show that different drugs are used each time.

                          There are several reasons for these mishaps. The article states "because most doctors see participation in executions as a violation of their oath do no harm many lethal injections are carried out by people with little or no medical training". This illustrates that there is a lack of people with medical knowledge developing the death cocktail. The exact sources of where prisons get their drugs are vague, "it's forced prisons systems to try untested drug combinations". European drug manufactures refuse to sell drugs to prisons for the purpose of execution. Although these criminals are sentenced to death row we need to take a stronger look at how capital punishment is carried out.

                         After reading this article I am more convinced then ever that capital punishment should be obliterated and that criminals live out their life sentences in jail. I
feel that it is too final of a punishment in a judicial system where many mistakes can be made. Until our drugs can be tested and the final outcome of the executions can be ensured it should be ruled un constitutional. 

                   Teens can be effected in a negative way by reading Looking For Alaska! After reading "Looking For Alaska" by John Green it is clear to see that it's a dark book and a bad influence for teens. The book features the likes of sex, drugs, the over usage of alcohol, and hazing. Based on that evidence Looking For Alaska should be banned from school bookshelves.

                 Sex is something that comes up a lot in this book. In the beginning of the book
"Pudge" the main character learns why Alaska doesn't have a roommate anymore. It turns out her roommate Myra got caught having sex with her boyfriend on campus and then got expelled from Culver Creek. Also Pudge's girlfriend engages in oral sex, "she looked up at me, but didn't move, her face nanometers away from my penis". Having sex as a teen, like they do in Looking For Alaska has many negative outcomes. As shown in the book you can get in trouble for having sex. Also sex could end up with someone having a child. This book could encourage teens to have sex.

               Everyone introduced in the book you can say is an alcoholic. Threw out the book they always go out into the woods and drink till they vomit. Another example on how drinking is a big factor in this book is when Alaska dies from drunk driving, "Last night, Alaska Young was in a terrible accident and she was killed. Alaska has passed away". In this book they drink like crazy with no self-control. Drinking like this definitely has its consequences. Alaska got killed because of drunk driving. The amount of drinking in this book should not be used as a model for teens in middle and high school.

             At first Pudge didn't smoke, but then he went to Culver Creek and he smoked all the time with everyone else. For ever single day written in the book there is a "smoke brake". It was a time for everyone to let go and relax, to not feel the pressure of school while being far from their parents. At one point in the book Alaska says "Y'all smoke to enjoy it. I smoke to die". Unfortunately though the way they smoked in this book makes it seem cool. When you get sick or your friend dies because of smoking then will it seem  cool? These actions shown in the book shouldn't  be in schools.

            Reading this book has made me realize that some teenagers have this issue. The last thing they need is any encouragement from a popular book like this. Looking For Alaska could also make teens that don't have sex yet, drink, or smoke think that it's ok to do that kind of stuff. This book proves that it is important that teens don't do the things shown in Looking For Alaska. It should be said that you can't find Looking For Alaska on a school bookshelf.