20 Mar moral panic

In each case, a specific agent was widely felt to be responsible for the threat; in each case, a sober assessment of the evidence concerning the nature of the supposed threat forces the observer to the conclusion that the fear and concern were, in all likelihood, exaggerated or misplaced. Sociologists refer to such episodes as moral panics. They arise as a consequence of specific social forces and dynamics. They arise because, as with all sociological phenomena, threats are culturally and politically constructed, a product of the human imagination (Goode and Ben-Yehuda 2009, p. 150-151).

The quote above describes a social phenomenon called a moral panic. Using examples and materials that cover the policy responses to opium between 1900 -1920 and crack cocaine between 1980 – 2000, analyze how each response could represent a moral panic. Discuss how the crisis was real as opposed to exaggerated as the quote above suggests. Discuss examples of societal exaggeration and overreaction. Lastly, discuss whether you believe any drug problem today represents a moral panic. Be sure to name a specific drug and provide a rationale for your position on whether a moral panic exists.

You may use academic research, government, and professional data sources (UCR, NIDA, NSDUH, CDC, BJS), and news accounts from reputable and well-known news outlets (e.g., ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, Buffalo News, AP, Huff Post) to justify their arguments. The essays must follow a recognized style manual for writing, formatting, and referencing sources. Assignments should be between 600 700 words in length.