Media ethics discussion -- COM101 Mass Communications

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Date Posted: 10:38:53 12/07/08 Sun
Author: Sivagowri Mohan
Subject: Media ethics discussion

Scenario #4 Newspaper Joins the War against Drugs

Answer to Scenario #4 by Sivagowri Mohan

After reading this article, I feel the Standard-Times is doing the right thing by publishing the pictures of the drug offenders. The pictures might help the public to be careful as well as the drug offenders to be cautious about their activities. Furthermore, the pictures might help the police, the parents, the teachers and the kids who are staying away from these drug activities to be vigilant. Drug is hurting our society in a big way; any help from the newspapers or the public are always beneficial. If the officials are unable to control this illegal drug mayhem, why not the newspapers help, in this anarchy? According to Ben Ando of B. B. C. News, because of these drug dealers, law-abiding people were forced to leave their neighborhoods in fear for themselves or their children. It is hard for people to continue in such surroundings. In fact, special measures have to be taken in areas such as education and law to address this unstoppable menace. Moreover, the public also have to participate in helping the authorities regarding drug related problems. Unless the public’s awareness increases towards the dangers of drugs, finding solution for this problem will be hard for the government and the law enforcement. When people can watch the news and special programs regarding criminals on television, why not see the pictures of these offenders in the Newspapers? Newspapers also have to owe to the society by helping them identify the drug offenders. Most of the households are affected by the drug abuse in one way or another than any other criminal activity. According to National Institute of Drug abuse, abusing drugs has a range of hostile effects on the body. For instance, drugs narrows the blood vessels, dilates pupils, increases body temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure. It can also cause headaches and gastrointestinal complications such as abdominal pain and nausea. Besides, drugs tend to reduce the need to eat; chronic users might become undernourished as well.
According to Samara Aberman of News Hour Extra, around $19 billion a year was spent by the National Office of Drug Control Policy trying to stop the drug trade. In addition, the indirect cost related to drug abuse is in billions. In 2002, illegal drugs were used on a regular basis by 14 million Americans. In 2000, the amount spent on illegal drugs by the Americans was roughly $64 billion. That is much higher than the amount the government spends on fighting drugs. Ironically, this is a major problem for the countries that produce the drugs as well as the countries that use the drugs. Most people do not understand that as a society they also have to put in an effort to try to keep drugs off the street and to punish people who manufacture, sell and use them. When the societies are fighting with so many problems to barely survive why add more with these illegal drugs? The health risk associated with drugs is tremendous. If one believes that health risk alone should be cause enough to eliminate these dangerous drugs, the society need all the help from all walks of life let alone the newspapers. The newspapers’ moral and ethical obligations towards the society is not only delivering the news but also protecting society from these dangerous elements.
Works Cited
Ando, Ben. “Damaging Colombia.” BBC News. 18 Nov. 2008.
.

Aberman, Samara.“The War on Drugs.” World News Hour Extra. 22 May.2002..

Abeokuta, Kehinde Akinyemi. “Pushing the drug war in Southwest” Sunday Trust. 30 Nov. 2008.
http://news.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=105&Itemid=43

U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. 5 Dec. 2008.
.

NIDA Infofacts: “Crack and Cocaine.”. National Institute of Drug Abuse. Aug.2008.
< http://www.nida.nih.gov/Infofacts/cocaine.html>

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Replies:

Re: Media ethics discussion -- Kehinde Akinyemi (Happy), 03:53:01 06/15/10 Tue