17/07/2007 00:00:00
UK: Druglink magazine: drugs reporting is 'irresponsible'
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Druglink has warned that much media reporting of drugs is often
irresponsible and inaccurate as it unveils a new look intended to make
it look more like a mainstream current affairs magazine.
Deputy editor Max Daly, who has worked for Druglink for almost four
years, said that the victimisation of drug users and language such as
"junkie" and "drug-taking scum" can have an unhelpful effect.
He said: "There needs to be less labelling of anyone who takes drugs as
a drug fiend, and as someone who is a lower person than someone who
doesn't take drugs. By labelling people in this way you're making it
harder for them to get help because they get scapegoated."
Daly said the press are all too quick to mention a defendant's past drug
use in a trial even if it has no relevance to the case, which in turn
can mislead the public.
He said: "The fact that someone on trial might have smoked cannabis
seven years ago is often lifted to the top of the story, just because it
suits the newspapers' agenda and drugs are a red-hot issue. There's a
constant flow of drug-related stories. Because of this people often get
an inaccurate picture about drugs."
In 2006 the press reported that crystal meth was a growing threat in the
UK, with The Independent running a story headlined "Crystal meth –
Britain's deadliest drug problem".
Daly said that the truth is that while the drug is rife in the USA, it
is not the case here.
He said: "A new drug on the scene – even if only one person takes it –
is a story the press love even if there's very little truth in it.
"They love any kind of scare story – this drug is going to take over the
country, shock horror."
Daly said that Druglink has decided to change the way it presents its
annual drug street-prices survey, released in September, in a bid to get
it covered more soberly in the press.
This year it will only be showing changes in trends rather than the
actual street prices in different areas.
Daly said that the actual prices of drugs don't fluctuate that much year
on year, but local press have a tendency to splash on the prices and it
creates distress if one area is reported to be cheaper than others.
Daly said that the redesign by Druglink, which launched in 1975, is
intended to move it away from the "boring" charity magazine feel and
more to a "current affairs magazine style".
Druglink is affiliated with the charity Drugscope, but is not the house
magazine for the charity.
http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=1&storycode=38222&c=1
Source:
http://www.ukcia.org/news/shownewsarticle.php?articleid=12692
Author:
Press Gazette via UKCIA
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