If a newspaper prints something about an individual that isn't true, they are bound by rules of defamation, and may have to retract or pay damages.

However, if a newspaper prints untrue stuff about a subject, or object, they can do so with impunity. I am thinking in particular about their reporting of the drugs issue.

The NOTW calls Mephedrome a "killer drug" today. Now it may not be a lethal drug, and it may be a lethal drug. As far as I am aware though there is little known about it.

Granted, I accept the anecdotal evidence I have had about how bad the drug is. However, I feel newspapers should be taken to task for all reporting that is wrong.

There is good reason for this. By running scare campaigns about drugs they actually dilute the message of the people who are trying to police it. A kid hears that Mephedrome is a killer, they will probably think, "well they said that about Cannabis and Ecstasy, so they are just as likely to be wrong here".

The irony is that, the use of libel laws is actually preventing a lot of scientific research, as anyone who feels that it may damage their reputation or business can slap an injunction on the writers. Yet unscientific research such as "evil drug", "killer gyppos" and "polish rapists" can be printed with impunity.

How can this be?