Date: Thu, 27 Apr 2000
Subject: 60 Minutes II An All Time Low On Ecstasy Sensationalism And
DrugSense FOCUS Alert # 170 April 27, 2000
60 Minutes II an All Time Low on Ecstasy Sensationalism and
Inaccuracy
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PLEASE COPY AND DISTRIBUTE
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DrugSense FOCUS Alert # 170 April 27, 2000
The 60 Minutes II show producers need to be told that their unbalanced
presentation of the harms of MDMA and their total ignoring of its
therapeutic potential is poor journalism. Their hysterical
exaggeration of the dangers of MDMA (it is supposedly likely to
produce a generation of depressed people) is counterproductive in
terms of reducing excessive use of MDMA abuse since the message will
be discounted as unbelievable.
The supposed 40 deaths in Florida due to MDMA was taken as a fact yet
the evidence supporting these claims has never been made public so
that it could be critically reviewed. The show failed to explain that
the statistic of 1100 emergency room visits due to MDMA is from the
Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) system, which links visits to
specific drugs even if the drugs did not cause the visit. All that is
needed is for the person who went to the ER or any of their friends to
have claimed the person consumed MDMA. Blood tests confirming the
mentioned drug are not required so ER visits could due to fake MDMA
are lumped together with visit related to genuine MDMA.
When the 60 Minutes II producers called MAPS to gather information for
their show, my initial impression was positive. I was told they wanted
to look at all aspects of MDMA, therapeutic use as well as rave use,
and they wanted to do a balanced treatment of the neurotoxicity issue.
I started to get a bad feeling when it became clear that none of the
people I recommended who could talk about therapeutic use were
contacted, nor were any experts who would offer a less than hysterical
presentation about neurotoxicity.
The program should at least have given a moment of air time to a
doctor or researcher who doesn’t believe the evidence supports an
alarmist conclusion about neurotoxicity, as well as someone who could
speak to its therapeutic potential.
The 60 Minutes producers should be help accountable for a presentation
that was put together without even an attempt at basic journalistic
balance.
Please write a letter to 60 Minutes II expressing your views or
concerns using the contact information below.
Thanks for your effort and support.
WRITE A LETTER TODAY
If not YOU who? If not NOW When?
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PLEASE SEND US A COPY OF YOUR LETTER OR TELL US WHAT YOU DID ( Letter,
Phone, fax etc.)
Please post a copy your letter or report your action to the sent
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and be motivated to follow suit
This is VERY IMPORTANT as it is the only way we have of gauging our
impact and effectiveness.
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CONTACT INFO
Online form to CBS http://cbsnews.cbs.com/feedback/frameset/0,1712,412,00.html
Email address 60M@cbsnews.com
Please send your letter to BOTH.
NOTE: Those who missed the 60 Minutes II piece you can review a text
version at:
http://cbsnews.cbs.com/now/story/0,1597,188049-412,00.shtml
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EXTRA CREDIT
USA Today also had a blatantly unbalanced piece on MDMA on April 19.
While this is a bit stale for letter writing a LTE correcting
inaccurate reporting is always a good thing.
Read the article at: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n518/a08.html
Write a letter and send it to
USA Today editor@usatoday.com
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SAMPLE LETTER
Dear 60 Minutes II
Regarding your segment on MDMA:
The supposed 40 deaths in Florida due to MDMA was taken as a fact yet
the evidence supporting these claims has never been made public so
that it could be critically reviewed. The show failed to explain that
the statistic of 1100 emergency room visits due to MDMA is from the
Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) system, which links visits to
specific drugs even if the drugs did not cause the visit. All that is
needed is for the person who went to the ER or any of their friends to
have claimed the person consumed MDMA. Blood tests confirming the
mentioned drug are not required so ER visits could be due to fake MDMA
are lumped together with visit related to genuine MDMA.
When the 60 Minutes II producers called MAPS to gather information for
their show, my initial impression was positive. I was told they wanted
to look at all aspects of MDMA, therapeutic use as well as rave use,
and they wanted to do a balanced treatment of the neurotoxicity issue.
I started to get a bad feeling when it became clear that none of the
people I recommended who could talk about therapeutic use were
contacted, nor were any experts who would offer a less than hysterical
presentation about neurotoxicity.
The program should at least have given a moment of air time to a
doctor or researcher who doesn’t believe the evidence supports an
alarmist conclusion about neurotoxicity, as well as someone who could
speak to its therapeutic potential.
The 60 Minutes producers should be held accountable for a presentation
that was put together without even an attempt at basic journalistic
balance.
Rick Doblin Executive Director Multidisciplinary Association for
Psychedelic Studies (MAPS)
IMPORTANT: Always include your address and telephone
number
Please note: If you choose to use this letter as a model please modify it
at least somewhat so that the paper does not receive numerous copies of the
same letter and so that the original author receives credit for his/her work.
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efforts
3 Tips for Letter Writers http://www.mapinc.org/3tips.htm
Letter Writers Style Guide http://www.mapinc.org/style.htm
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Prepared by Stephen Young – http://home.att.net/~theyoungfamily Focus
Alert Specialist