Question

Which of the following media assertions about the use of crack cocaine in the 1980s was later verified by scientific research?

a) Crack has become America's drug of choice— even more popular than marijuana.
b) Nearly every expert now concedes that the crack plague is all but universal.
c) One out of ten babies born today are 'crack babies'—infants of crack-addicted mothers.
d) Crack babies will be permanently damaged, an unmanageable multitude of disturbed and disruptive youth— a lost generation.
e) none of the above

Answer 1

Scientific research did not verify the media assertions from the 1980s about the prevalence of crack cocaine use and the phenomenon of 'crack babies'; these claims were exaggerated beyond the actual scope of the problem.

Step-by-step explanation:

Among the assertions about the use of crack cocaine in the 1980s, the statement that later scientific research did not verify is e) none of the above. Media assertions such as the overwhelming popularity of crack and the concept of 'crack babies' have not been supported by subsequent scientific research. While crack was certainly an issue, its prevalence and the claims of multitudes of permanently damaged children were exaggerated. The sensationalism in media reports often did not align with the reality on the ground, which is that crack was a significant problem but not to the hyperbolic extent often reported. It's important to recognize that the media played a role in shaping public perception and policy, leading to extremely harsh penalties for crack possession, which disproportionately affected minority communities.