Just say no!

Fact/opinion article

A view on why anti drug campaigns in the UK are failing

“JUST SAY NO!” (IS IT REALLY THAT EASY)

Is it really that easy to say no to drugs for the current generation who live in a society where drugs are now socially accepted? 

The warnings they hear through outdated campaigns are seen as incorrect advice given by old people who are out of touch with the modern world, who know nothing about drugs.

After all, these days everyone they know has tried drugs and they see no difference between illegal or legal highs. Most think weed is not even a drug and do not class smoking weed as taking drugs. 

Its natural and actually good for you they tell me, totally unaware that what they are smoking these days is skunk, a chemically enhanced strain of weed many times the strength

None of the dangers they have heard about from anti drug campaigns have happened to most of the people they know.

Drugs are readily accessible at school. All schools! Their teachers are either unaware or turn a blind eye as they don’t want to lift the lid on something that’s out of control. Some teachers take drugs anyway.

The police turn a blind eye as nothing they can do or it’s not worth the paperwork involved. The odd face to face drug dealer who gets caught faces a max sentence of 5 years but usually gets a year or so and is out after serving a few months. 

University is an acceptable time to party but these days that includes drinking and drugs even if just legal highs.

Getting a professional job in the city (London) they are exposed to the cocaine culture which is rife and an acceptable practice for those young professionals working long hours in highly stressful roles. It’s not unusual for a firm to have a recommended dealer who is discreet.

That’s the reality but until the outdated views of drugs and those who take drugs is brought up to date then there isn’t a hope in hell of finding a solution and in my opinion addiction will be the biggest problem the UK has ever faced.

Anti drug campaigns and anti drug education has to be completely overhauled and reflect the reality of how it really is today. The old way of trying to deter drug use by installing fear to stop you ever trying it can not work on a generation who have already tried it.

This generation does not believe that taking drugs will mean they will end up in prostitution or a down and out living on a park bench. This is only the view held by the older generations and sadly many of the people running the current anti drug campaigns and drug education programs for schools. 

The 1980s brought the “just say no” campaign which although these days is ridiculed as it was built on fear and extremes to prevent and dissuade youths from even trying drugs, it was in my opinion, effective at the time. It was more in keeping with the culture back then when youths who took drugs were the minority. 

The campaign worked for me and for most of a similar age group by installing fear that to ever try drugs would most certainly end up with you getting hooked and ruining your life.

What dispelled that belief was the birth of the rave scene in the late 80s and early 90s. More accurately, the way it was outlawed by an uninformed government introducing knee jerk laws to prohibit it and a propaganda campaign exaggerating the dangers.

The death of every young person who took ecstacy was big news although there was usually no real facts to confirm the death was solely down to ecstacy or what percentage this represented overall. 

There were no facts yet the government tried its best to scaremonger so this fell on deaf ears to a generation who saw raving as a welcome change and a fight free alternative to the booze fueled nightclubs.

The dangers of alcohol were well known and the trouble caused by drinking was well documented and evidently the reason for most fights in every pub and nightclub as well as football hooliganism at matches.

At raves there were seldom any fights. No culture of excessive drinking therefore ecstacy was seen as the better choice. To this generation, the use of ecstacy and the rave culture brought an end to fighting and created a safer environment where everyone was welcome and accepted, all just wanting to dance and have fun. 

In my opinion this is when anti drug campaigns built on fear and extreme examples to deter people from ever trying drugs, lost all credibility and had very little impact to stop drug use.    

The ‘Talk to Frank” campaign was introduced in 2003 and is the longest running anti drug campaign to date.

Although it is less about deterring drug use by fear and more fact based, it is very general and to my amazement the website does not cover addiction as a separate subject at all. Nor does it offer practical help or advice on abstaining from drugs. In fact under the ‘’get help’’ tag in an emergency, it states most people don’t use drugs.   

Frank, a purposely unknown person is meant to represent a trusted older brother or the guy young people can look up to and turn to. The message being “drugs are illegal but talking about them isn’t so talk to Frank”.         

Frank thinks most people don’t use drugs so the young person who knows that most of his friends do knows Frank is wrong about this so could be wrong about other things.

The campaign, now 14 years old is not hard hitting but is well known so has the scope and opportunity to make a difference with the right people contributing to it.

The descriptions of how each drug effects you are too generic. No doubt from a text book and signed off by a whole team of lawyers, publicity and marketing specialists and highly qualified subject matter experts without any personal or practical experience of drugs. 

I would hope advice was sought  from drug users from many different backgrounds as their input would be key. Doubtful though as would the government want association with drug users and addicts!

  

The website shows pictures in the background of young people in partial view. Headless boys sitting on a wall, headless girls on a sofa. The point I presume is to assume these situations could entail drug use. Why not show the situations as they really are when drugs are present and being used.  

To the anti drug campaigners; 

• Use the TV adverts to educate people about drug laws as most young people are not aware of them. 
• Educate people on what is weed and what is skunk as well as other drugs and real life stories of the damage they have caused to those they can relate to 
• Survey school children on an anonymous basis about drug use and attitude toward drugs
• Introduce drug tests for teachers
• Test teachers/doctors/police on their knowledge of drugs
• Work on changing the stigma and stereotypes of drug addicts
• Accept drug use is common and on the rise
• Campaign for more help to treat drug addiction 
• Produce literature offering practical help and guidance to assist those wanting to stop using drugs 

      

Tammy L Donoghue