DrugSense FOCUS Alert # 170 April 27, 2000 60 Minutes II an All Time Low on Ecstasy Sensationalism and Inaccuracy PLEASE COPY AND DISTRIBUTE 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? 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 letter list () if you are subscribed, or by E-mailing a copy directly to Your letter will then be forwarded to the list with so others can learn from your efforts and be motivated to follow suit This is VERY IMPORTANT as it is the only way we have of gauging our impact and effectiveness. CONTACT INFO Online form to CBS http://cbsnews.cbs.com/feedback/frameset/0,1712,412,00.html Email address 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 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 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. ADDITIONAL INFO to help you in your letter writing efforts 3 Tips for Letter Writers http://www.mapinc.org/3tips.htm Letter Writers Style Guide http://www.mapinc.org/style.htm TO SUBSCRIBE, DONATE, VOLUNTEER TO HELP, OR UPDATE YOUR EMAIL SEE http://www.drugsense.org/hurry.htm TO UNSUBSCRIBE SEE http://www.drugsense.org/unsub.htm Prepared by Stephen Young - http://home.att.net/~theyoungfamily Focus Alert Specialist

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