Today's CASPer questions and our expert analysis and responses will help you tackle any CASPer
policy question that may come your way during the test. We will cover CASPer policy answer
strategies and give you expert analysis of how to answer each follow-up question.
Hi! My name is Chris and I'm an admissions associate here at BeMo. Before
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How to Structure Your Answers to CASPer Policy Questions Sample CASPer Policy Questions
and Our Expert Response By the way we're giving away $50 Amazon gift
cards every week to best comments and questions, so comment below for a chance to win. There's
this one thing that will dramatically increase your CASPer score - I'll explain in the end
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Policy CASPer questions and follow-up questions from this category are typically included
to assess your awareness of the local and global issues facing your profession and your
ability to remain objective and non-critical of all sides of an issue.
Follow this general structure to answer CASPer policy questions:
In your opening sentence shortly summarize the policy to demonstrate
your awareness of the policy and its context.
List a couple of advantages and disadvantages of the policy. Not only will this reiterate your
awareness of the problem, but it will also demonstrate your ability to stay objective, informed, and open-minded.
The last part of your answer should include your personal
opinion about the policy and the reasons behind your
stance. If you disagree with the policy, write down a short sentence with an alternative
solution to the problem. To prepare for questions in the policy category
you should become familiar with current events, hot topic social and political issues, and
challenges facing the healthcare system in your town, state, province, or country. You
can start by visiting websites of your provincial/state and federal/national medical associations
to read about the latest policies and news. You can learn about local and global health
issues by reading the newspaper, watching the news, and visiting websites of institutions
like the World Health Organization. To practice answering policy questions, you can write
down a list of most important and interesting policies you encounter, write down their pros
and cons, and try to formulate your own informed opinion. Practice with this strategy and know
how to implement it in answering different policy questions you might face in the real
test. So let's go over a sample CASPer policy prompt and questions!
Here's the prompt: On the heels of the recent legalization of recreational cannabis (marijuana)
in Canada and several U.S. states, debates around full decriminalization or legalization
of illicit substances have been renewed in some medical, legal, and political circles.
The questions are as follows: 1. What is your opinion on legal recreational cannabis?
2. What is your opinion on legalizing or decriminalizing
other illicit substances, such as cocaine, heroin, or MDMA?
3. What do you think is the key driver of illegal drug consumption, and what can be
done to address this? Take a moment to reflect on these questions.
Now let's get to expert responses to these follow-up questions.
As noted, recreational cannabis usage was recently legalized in Canada and several U.S.
states, and medical/prescription cannabis is legal in many U.S. states where legal use
is still criminalized. There are many valid arguments on each side of this issue. Those
opposed to legal cannabis raise a number of concerns for one, we do not have reliable
field sobriety tests for THC like we do for alcohol, making driving under the influence
difficult to determine. As well, while research is still limited, some recent studies have
suggested that cannabis use in late childhood and early adulthood can exacerbate pre-existing
mental illness. On the other hand, advocates have emphasized that greater availability
of legal cannabis may make it easier for medical marijuana patients to access their medication,
as there have been gaps in access for those prescribed this substance. As well, there
is a lot of tax revenue to be generated from taxation on legal cannabis, and far fewer
law enforcement resources would be expended on cannabis if it were equal, opening up funds
for other law enforcement issues. Personally, having considered such things, I am in favor
of legal recreational cannabis for those old enough to consume alcohol. Legalization will,
ideally, bring in funding from tax dollars which in turn can be used for research into
both the benefits and dangers of cannabis usage, as well as public education campaigns
as such research becomes available. As well, funding made available by reduced police expenditures
could go into developing field sobriety testing for THC this is important on two counts: first,
we can ensure our roadways are safe with reliable sobriety testing, and second, we can ensure
that those not directly under the influence are not wrongfully charged. Currently, if
a person is suspected of being under the influence of THC, a mandatory urinalysis may return
a positive result if the person has consumed THC any time in the last 30 days, potentially
resulting in wrongful charging and conviction. As well, getting medical marijuana patients
their medication more easily and effectively should be a high priority. Lastly, the charges
and convictions resulting from arrests for cannabis have been historically discriminatory,
with minority communities often facing harsher sentencing for even minor offenses. As such,
legalization so long as it brings widespread pardons for past offenses can help rectify
a long-standing social injustice. Moving on to follow-up question number 2.
First, addressing the question requires clarification,
since legalizing and decriminalizing are not the same thing. Legalizing means full and
open access, usually to people above a certain age, with no illicit status for anyone, whether
manufacturer, dealer, or consumer. Decriminalization often refers more specifically to users of
such substances, while manufacturing and selling remain illegal. This is the model that has
been used in Portugal for over a decade. Under their model, no one who is caught using such
substances will be subject to arrest, but are rather encouraged to undergo treatment
and rehabilitation, with support to do so from the state. For the purposes of this answer,
I will focus on a model such as this one. Those opposed to drug decriminalization are
concerned that it would lead to an increase in drug consumption, which can have detrimental
effects not only on those who use such substances, but on society at large. After all, a significant
community of drug users would likely not be a very healthy or productive society. As well,
decriminalization of use may lead to increased manufacture of such drugs, which could exacerbate
crime elsewhere, or lead to increased violence among those who develop and export these substances.
On the other hand, those who support decriminalization tend to focus on drug use as a social and
mental health issue, rather than one of individual failings or shortcomings. A system based around
care and rehabilitation, rather than incarceration, of users would eliminate the fear of arrest
many undergo if they seek treatment. As well, if this were part of a national, public health
care system, the cost of treatment would not be prohibitive, as cost is another barrier
to care experienced by many. While I personally do not have enough information to confidently
support either side, I do think that Portugal itself provides an interesting and compelling
example for what could be possible with decriminalization. An approach that fosters care and support
has helped a great many people suffering from drug dependency (addiction), and drug use
rates have not increased in the 10+ years since this policy was implemented. That said,
what works in one nation is not necessarily universalizable. So, if I had the position
and resources to explore this issue further, I'd want to meet with doctors, police, politicians,
recovering users, and other such parties in Portugal, to learn more about their system
and how and why it seems to be working. I'd also put together a multi-disciplinary research
team to explore other efforts and drug liberalization laws to see what has and hasn't been tried.
If it did turn out that Portugal's tactics could work elsewhere, then I could consider
supporting decriminalization efforts.
While there are surely some who use such substances
to derive pleasure at a recreational level, many who abuse illicit substances do so from
a place of pain, emptiness, or loss (similar to those who abuse alcohol). As we've seen
in the United States, gaps in health care have contributed to the current opioid crisis,
wherein those without insurance for specialists or complex treatments have filled that gap
with narcotic painkillers, and this gap is most evident in low-income and otherwise medically
underserved areas. Similarly, research has shown that excessive drug abuse and dependency
often correlates with things like trauma, childhood abuse, poverty, mental illness,
and other social and medical issues. While drug consumption as a whole cannot be reduced
to such causes, such correlations cannot simply be ignored we have to follow what the evidence
shows. As such, I think that the key drivers of illegal drug consumption are social and
medical in nature. Simply treating such drug abuse as a moral issue, or an issue of individual
failing or weakness, and criminalizing based on that, misses the root causes of such behavior.
As noted above, treating drug use as an issue of mental health, such as in Portugal, and
having accessible treatment and rehabilitation for all could lead to both a greater understanding
of such behavior, as well as more options for treatment and a decrease in overall drug
addiction. Studies from multiple disciplines, including physical health, mental health,
and even sociology, have turned up similar insights, suggesting that a multidisciplinary
approach that re-frames the narrative around drug use may be the best way to advocate for
those who self-medicate because they are suffering physically, mentally, and/or socially. However,
additional research is necessary to form a firm opinion.
Remember, the key to a high CASPer score is to have a concrete answer strategy for each
CASPer question category. This means that even though you will not know which exact
questions you are going to get on your test, you will have an approach for answering any
questions that may come your way. The answer strategy we covered at the beginning of this
video will help you formulate an articulate, non-judgmental, and informative answer to
policy prompts and follow-up questions. Check out our blog to learn more about CASPer
questions and answer strategies. I have included a link in the description of this video so
you can find the blog easily. If you would like us to help you get a high CASPer score,
visit caspertestprep.com to schedule your free initial consultation. Hopefully
you enjoyed the video so please subscribe, like and leave a comment. If you have
any questions about CASPer policy questions that I didn't cover in this video, let me
know in the comment section and I will get back to you as soon as possible. Don't forget
that we're giving away $50 Amazon gift cards every week to best comments and questions,
so comment below for a chance to win. Thanks so much for watching this video, I'll see you next time.