Drugs Cannabis and Media Coverage in the United Kingdom - Case Study Example

Drugs Cannabis and Media Coverage in the United Kingdom Name of Student Course Tutor Date Background Information Media reporting is and continues to be part UK Drug Policy Commission (UKDPC), in its effort to address the issue of stigma and what inhibits recovery for people who depend on drugs (Singleton, N 2010). Cannabis use has drastically decreased in UK, yet the government still treats use of cannabis more harshly. According to (Taylor, S 2008), the government of UK first reclassified the drug cannabis to Class C, down from Class B. The drug was downgraded to grade C in the year 2004 since ministers wanted police officers to concentrate more on tracking down harder drugs. The government again switched it back to class B in 2009, a decision that was seen to be against the government’s own drug advisory body experts, which wanted the cannabis to remain at Class C. The action by the government drew a lot of discussion in the UK. According to (Singleton, N 2010), a poll was conducted by The Observer and then published in the Guardian paper on the 16th November 2008, and it indicated that the British citizens’ view about and attitudes toward use of drugs were taking a conservative direction. The poll suggested that the public had developed a negative attitude towards drugs and drug use since. The Observer carried out its survey in 2002. Eighteen percent of adults in the survey group believed that dug laws in the UK were not liberal. The poll further found out that people between 16 and 24 years old believe that the law should be more tolerant. Therefore, there is need to explore existing concerns on newspapers representation on drug use and drug users in the UK. Media coverage on drugs cannabis According to (Taylor, S 2008), previous research indicates that the media has a negative impression that marginalizes people using drugs, misrepresents them and the effects of drug use. The UK Drug Policy Commission (UKDPC) research shows that almost 64% of UK adults agree that people who have a history of depending on drugs are mostly demonised in the media. The research was done on items referencing people using drugs in the UK in the years, 1995, 2002 and 2009, and the findings indicated that: Media coverage on drug use and users was not consistent over time. In 1995, 1,642 items were covered in newspapers, in 2002 it increased to 2,759 items, and in 2009 it reduced to 1,763. The drug use coverage in tabloid was triggered by the activities of public figures and celebrities as indicates (Shapiro, H 2010). During the reporting, some drugs were mentioned frequently than others. Most of the items covered Class A drugs, even though Cannabis was the most commonly used drug. Use of drugs is rarely discussed in newspaper coverage, with reason for drug use only suggested in many items. Many leaders have begun to comment on the failures and dangers of war on drugs. The former director of the Anti-drug Coordination Unit, in the UK encouraged legislation as a less harmful way to control use of drugs. The Guardian newspaper on August 13, 2008, reported Julian Critchley to have said that his views on legislation were shared by majority of professionals concerned, including health workers, police officers as well as government officials (Austine, A and Pinkleton, B E 2001). The Evening Standard dated April 28, 2008 “Brown set to Re-grade Cannabis as Class B despite Experts’ Advice” reported on how Gordon Brown ignored the recommendation by a group of government advisers who said it should be considered as a soft drug (Singleton, N 2010). The Prime Minister was indicating the fact that drugs are harmful to the health of young people and is strongly related to serious crimes. The Standard paper indicated that adults who involved themselves in trafficking cannabis were likely not to be arrested. It is the young people who would otherwise be arrested and charged in courts of law. The Guardian on May 1, 2008, on the subject “Police Reject Tougher Action on Cannabis”, reported that the police would not be tough on cases which involved simple possession of cannabis when the drug was upgraded to class B. This, according to (Regester, M and Larkin, J 2008) is an indication that the cannabis has not been strongly condemned, and its effects are still felt in the society. He further asserts that, unless the police officers strike a balance in enforcement of the laws related to abuse of drug in the UK, many young people who are experimenting on drugs would be criminalised. According to The Independent on January 6.2008, “Reclassifying Cannabis Would Make No Difference to Young” reported that there is no need to reclassify cannabis since it would not make any deference to the people who use the drug especially the young. This was a report from the criminal policy experts from the country. The cannabis drug has become part of the youth culture to the extent that new users supply one another with the drug. They also buy and share it with friends and their relatives. Researchers according to The Independent, conclude that use of cannabis is heavily imbedded in lives of many young people. In that respect, change in the legal status of the drug will not have an impact (Taylor, S 2008). Media in the UK has been viewed to be biased on how it presents different drug users. (Shapiro, H 2010) explains that some media coverage portrays many drug users in particular way, for instance as threats while others may be presented in a more friendly way. However, he is quick to note that the extent to which media portrays certain users in not clearly known in the UK. The tendency to represent drug users differently has an impact on the use of the drug. All drug users should be treated equally since it is a concern for all. Another area of concern is how media coverage links crime to drug abuse. Drug users are often connected to crime which may not be the case. Studies show that media coverage in many cases misrepresents drug effects. As A result, many people are not informed about the risks associated with use of drugs. Organization Monitoring It is primarily important to establish an organization to monitor the cultivation, trafficking and its use. This may greatly reduce the conflict that spring from the negative impact of cannabis on various aspects of live such as public health, national security, transportation, environment and education. According to Mills (2013), over 200 years, chance, misinformation, personalities, politics and misunderstanding have shaped cannabis policy in U.K. However, cannabis remains prohibited with expectation that enforcement officers will apply the possession law with less vigour. As the society exhibit different attitudes toward it, diversified viewpoints from the media, the users, institutions and authority may be a significant source of conflict. A comprehensive approach to prevent and mediate over this conflict will largely depend on the control organization. The multi-million pound lucrative industry result to worrying violence rise between drug gangs as they secure their foothold in it. As the trade explodes, a marked rise of gang-related violence and shootings ensues. The soft punishment for culprits who sets up cannabis factories has also led to increase of Class A drugs dealers into the business. Many of these target the rural areas, as undetected places to grow this drug. The market is currently saturated with skunk double than its past strength and creating a mental health problems string (Bluelight 2013). Politicians are always indebted to take a stand more so when interest groups and media clamour for their action. As a response, a national agency as an integrated organization spanning the roles of administration, public and private sectors, state and local officials should work together to develop strategies which fully integrate prevention, treatment and recovery principles. Currently, it is the police officers who warn, stop, search, take to court and caution over how much cannabis amount to a serious offense. They also decide what is to happen to such individuals and not the Parliament, scientific conclusions or users’ interests (Mills 2013). However, a national agency may reduce the dominance of officers and create an indirect, dispersed approach with power exercised by community as their responsibility. The education school systems, local businesspersons, police posts and public housing in highly density estates are significant participants in such a strategy. The agency officials would then work closely with individuals, families, businesses and communities and take lead in prevention of cannabis use and interrelated crimes. The agency role would be to invest in a grassroots strategy which aims at protecting the society members from cannabis abuse, crime and consequences of crimes like jail term, stigma and death (Case & Haines 2003). Networking housing estates through increased resident commitment, promote awareness activities, prevention and control. Community watch schemes and association responsibilities resolves disputes by promote awareness among members, civic consciousness and a community spirit. Promoted liaison with employers and industrial groups may help to control commercial, shopping complexes and industrial use. Another effective mode include the development of Boy’s Clubs to provide youth from 12-25 years, pre-mature school leavers and juvenile delinquents with various means of channeling their energy to creative and healthy pursuits and avoid cannabis use and other unlawful behavior (Best, et al. 2005). One, the agency should implement prevention through regional and local plans rather than use of discreet projects. This avoids the possible program drift and requirements of large-scale cannabis control strategies. A strong sense of purpose and vision and continuous facilitation of dialogue between the local and central control nits about resources allocation is critical. The grassroots practice embrace ambiguities, differences, the unexpected and spontaneity than just rejecting everything about cannabis use as threatening. They also construct ways of notions of harm, disorder and danger involved at local levels and assumes preferred approaches to configure control and prevention concepts. Second, they should employ conventional evaluations to look into details the group to whom the program has worked, in what ways, in relation to which problems and in what circumstances. Evidence-based approaches for cannabis control involve systematic unpacking and responses to each of the above demands. Their success of the strategy would then be assessed on how it has reduced the rates of use among under age, the general number of users, young adults; 18-25 reduction in percentage, past-year users and average potency of usage (Klein, Beckerleg & Hailu 2009). References Austin E A and Pinkleton B E 2001, “Strategic Public Relations Management”, Lawrence Erlbaum, New Jersey Best, D et al. 2005, ‘Cannabis use in adolescents: the impact of risk and protective factors and social functioning’, Drug and Alcohol Review, 24(6), 483-488. Bluelight; UK - Gangs at war in bid to control cannabis business. (2013, Jan 07). Retrieved Feb 18, 2013, from: http://www.bluelight.ru/vb/threads/ Case, S, & Haines, K 2003, ‘Promoting Prevention: preventing youth drug use in Swansea, UK, by targeting risk and protective factors’, Journal of Substance Use, 8(4), 243-251. Journal: The Journal of Community and Criminal Justice, 55(4): 369-387. Klein, A, Beckerleg, S, & Hailu, D 2009, ‘Regulating khat—dilemmas and opportunities for the international drug control system’, International Journal of Drug Policy, 20(6), 509-513. Living in private households in the UK”, London: UK Drug Policy Commission Mills, J 2013, ‘Cannabis nation: control and consumption in Britain, 1928-2008’, Oxford: Oxford University Press. Regester, M and Larkin, J 2008, “Risk issues and Crisis Management”, 4th ed. London Kogan Page. Shapiro, H 2010, “The Media Guide to Drugs” London: DrugScope Singleton, N 2010, “Attitudes to drug dependence: Results from a survey of people Taylor, S 2008, “Outside the Outsiders: Media Representations of Drug Use.” Probation Read More