Sex in the media

Portrayal of sex in the mass media definitely misleads adolescents into considering sex as something to indulge in unsparingly (Risky images, February 13). Though sex is an essential part of living, it is not really as incidental to existence as breathing. But the rampant infiltration of sexually explicit materials on the Internet in particular has a negative effect on formative minds. Television is not far behind in feeding the adolescents with sexually implicit matters, driving the youth to resort to sex prematurely, and providing all sorts of psychological and physical complications to rule the roost.

Arjun Chaudhuri
Calcutta

Wrong note

With reference to Future belongs to GM crops (February 13), I would like to state that if the future belongs to genetically modified (GM) crops then why are the European Union countries strongly against it? Why are farmers in Bolivia, Indonesia, Philippines, Korea and India protesting? Why are genetic engineers highlighting the dangers of GM crops? And why are you promoting such a blatant lie? It is clear that upon the prodding of firms like Monsanto, the US is trying to influence the World Trade Organisation into pushing GM crop into countries like China, India, Brazil and Africa. But as long as people are vigilant, such machinations will not fructify.

Jagannath Chatterjee
Bhubaneswar

Foul practice

Pharmaceutical companies have been hiring beauty queens to market their products (Seductive medicines, January 30). Such seductive strategies may lure doctors which in the long run would prove detrimental to patients and the medical profession. Medical practitioners and people in general should come out to strongly protest such corrupt practices in a noble profession.

Abhishek Chatterjee
Calcutta