Unethical Persuasion
As far as unethical messages go, I believe one of the more pervasive ones would be the "War on Drugs". Of course, drugs aren't something that you should go out and do. They ARE dangerous, that can't be contested. The accepted reasons they are illegal are what makes the war on drugs campaign unethical, because most of the dangers stemming from drugs comes from the illegality of them.
While the intent, for the most part, has all the best intentions, the roots of the campaign are based on misinformation and fear-based tactics. Marijuana, for instance, was lobbied as harmful and dangerous because of anti-immigration fears. It wouldn't be such a bad thing to do, since drugs can ruin lives, but prescription medications have proven to be much more harmful than most illegal drugs.
Most of these side effects, some including DEATH, should be taken into consideration against the side effects of some illegal drugs, but, since there is so much money in the pharmaceutical business, that that will not happen anytime soon. The revenue generated in drug-related arrests also plays a large part, with most police activity revolving around the seizing and disposal of drugs of various kinds. Since its inception, the war on drugs has cost the country over $1 trillion. Though I don't think all drugs should just be made legal, I feel that some changes should be made.
What seems to happen is drugs ruin lives, but for the wrong reasons. People realize they have been misinformed and are more apt to experiment. If you were told that cake tastes like dirt, then you have some cake and it's good, then you're more likely to try all the cakes you get your hands on. That's a loose analogy, but you get my point.
What seems to happen is drugs ruin lives, but for the wrong reasons. People realize they have been misinformed and are more apt to experiment. If you were told that cake tastes like dirt, then you have some cake and it's good, then you're more likely to try all the cakes you get your hands on. That's a loose analogy, but you get my point.
The unethical aspects are mainly based on the use of fear. Particularly, children are focused on so that they grow up believing what the law says. Personally, I remember a D.A.R.E. officer telling me that I will die if I try drugs even once. While it could be true to a point, the double standard applied to these drugs vs what a doctor may prescribe you for depression makes it a strange contradiction if peoples' best interests are in mind.
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