The Media's Coverage of Cocaine

silvine

What are people's thoughts of the media's coverage cocaine use at the moment?

The coverage seems to be giving little answers as to why people actually take cocaine and is definately of the finger wagging variety i.e. "You're fueling gangland crime by putting that up your nose", 'You should really know better. Ray D'Arcy's handling of the issue being one example. The coverage is also all very middle class. We are hearing few voices from working class communities.

The Primetime documentary was good and, the links between user and importer were well documented. The scientific part of the programme seemed to confirm what everyone already knows. It was no real surprise to hear people in Croke Park or RTE snort coke.

But again there was very little explanation as to why cocaine is so popular in Ireland right now. And crack cocaine use is also supposed to be on the rise, something we're not hearing much about either.

And as for Katy French. Some are saying her death is the fuel that will really get this fire going. Realistically it may just be another bandwagon for the papers to ride.

Still, surely more is needed than alarmist finger wagging coverage? And as for searching people's homes suspected of using? Surely that warrants a wider debate over civil liberties as opposed to a knee-jerk reaction from politicians and the media.

Also the alledged coke snorting minister seems to be forgotten about.

kinkstr

silvine wrote: »

And as for Katy French - her death is the fuel that will really get this fire going.

Thats it right there, its what the media is good at, it will all quiten down in a few weeks when theres somthing else on the front pages for people to worry about. Maybe global warming will make a comeback and save us all from listening/watching/reading about the danger of drugs in modern Ireland.

Snickers Man

silvine wrote:

The coverage seems to be giving little answers as to why people actually take cocaine and is definately of the finger wagging variety i.e. "You're fueling gangland crime by putting that up your nose", 'You should really know better.

Well maybe it's a little self righteous and annoying but it's a perfectly valid argument. Way back in the days of apartheid we were encouraged to boycott South African produce because of the unsavoury nature of the white South African regime.

Remember the Dunnes Stores strikers who refused to handle tins of Del Monte fruit because it originated in South Africa? It's not that they had anything against peaches or pineapples, just that they disapproved of those who would profit most from their sale.

silvine wrote:

The coverage is also all very middle class. We are hearing few voices from working class communities.....
But again there was very little explanation as to why cocaine is so popular in Ireland right now. And crack cocaine use is also supposed to be on the rise, something we're not hearing much about either.

Well I think that question answers itself. Cocaine is the drug of choice of the rich wanker; heroin the drug of choice of the pathetic poor.

I am a middle class media type. Although I don't indulge in cocaine myself (no, really I don't) I have come across several friends and colleagues who do, to varying degrees. But I have never come across anyone who does heroin. It's not that I'm a snob, I just don't know anyone poor enough to be a junkie.

hottstuff

Another thread :eek:

I think Boards coverage of coke has surpassed all of the media.

Brendan552004

Something that has not been discussed is the quality of coke available in Ireland. I heard an interview with an Irishman who used to push coke in the UK. He said that any self respecting coke sniffer in the UK would not touch the coke that is on the market in Ireland. Coke cannot be taken in its pure form, it must be mixed with an agent. Most Coke that comes into Ireland is 80% pure. It is rumoured that a recent consignement was mixed with powdered bleach. 2 deaths in Waterford, 2 in a coma in Mullingar not to talk about KF.

UnitedIrishman

I think the problem is that it is a high class drug as in it's the people with money who tend to use it. Therefore, if you have money and are able to keep funding this kind of lifestyle you don't think anything is wrong with you or that you have an addiction. How do you fix people that don't think they have anything wrong with them? That is unless they are told by a friend or family member that it's killing them and it's illegal, it's a hard trend to stop.