Moral Panics

Moral Panics -  When sections of society become disproportionally hysterical about new/deviant events involving another section of society

Examples

Paracetamol challenge 

Young people daring each other to take excessive amounts of drug, resulting in at least one needing hospital treatment

Paracetamol Challenge: Mother of girl killed by overdose pleads with teenagers not to take part

Bath salts 

Did Welsh Cannibal Killer Matthew Williams Take 'Bath Salts' Before Attack?

Woman allegedly attacks family dog while high on bath salts

Cannibalism epidemic: Was Welsh hotel horror latest flesh-eating attack linked to mephedrone?

Benefit Scroungers

Vile product of Welfare UK: Man who bred 17 babies by five women to milk benefits system is guilty of killing six of them