socially constructed problems of drugs and drug users

Question 1

rainbow fentanyl

Answer 1

• stories come up around Halloween
• given to kids

Question 2

media in Canada

Answer 2

scaring the pubic

Question 3

moral panics

Answer 3

widespread feeling of fear, often irrational one, that some evil person or thing threatens the values, interests, or well-being of a community or society

the process of arousing social concern over an issue, usually perpatrated by moral entrepreneurs and mass media coverage and exacerbated by politicians and lawmakers

moral panic can give rise to new laws aimed at controlling the community

drag queens reading stories to children
* people tell the parents the drag queens are grooming their children
* creates moral panic
* could be used to create laws banning drag queens

Question 4

bringing together the objective and subjective realities

Answer 4

• government and media create moral panics
• representations become embedded in minds of the general public
• instead of education, reinforcement of underlying fear
• reports often exaggerated and misrepresentation of objective reality of drugs and drug users
• admittedly, there are problems but how we react is important