Which term describes an exaggerated public fear that a group or behavior threatens society?

• A. Drug panics
• B. Moral panic
• C. Opioid Epidemic Public Response
• D. Policing

Answer: (B)

Moral panic describes an exaggerated public fear that a group or behavior threatens society. It happens when media coverage and public figures amplify concerns, portraying the threat as widespread and morally urgent, even if evidence of actual risk is limited. This fuels heightened anxiety, hostility toward the target, and quick calls for punitive policies or crackdown, often with less regard for real data.

That broader concept fits best because it captures the pattern of overreacting to a perceived threat and the social dynamics that drive policy responses. The term about “drug panics” is not the standard label for this phenomenon, and the specific phrase “Opioid Epidemic Public Response” isn’t an established term. “Policing” refers to enforcement methods, not the fear-driven social phenomenon described here.