24 January 2003
New Anti-Drug Media Program Begins in U.S.
(Ads aim to educate youth about marijuana; links between drugs,
terrorism) (740)
The Super Bowl, the national American football championship game,
usually draws one of the largest television audiences of any program
broadcast throughout the year. When that game is played this year on
January 26, viewers will also see the debut of a new anti-drug media
campaign being launched by the Office of National Drug Control Policy
(ONDCP).
A January 23 ONDCP press release says several new anti-drug television
advertisements will premiere. One has been designed to provide youth
with more information about marijuana and the consequences of its use.
ONDCP Director John Walters said, "The fact is that teens who use the
drug are more likely to take risks that can gravely affect their lives
and the lives of others. The prevailing belief that marijuana is a
harmless drug is simply wrong."
Another set of new advertisements will mark the second phase of a
media campaign to educate the public about the links between casual
drug use, organized terror groups and violence. Government studies
find that terrorist organizations in various parts of the world are
engaged in drug trafficking to provide the money to finance their
terror campaigns.
Following is the text of the ONDCP press release:
(begin text)
Office of National Drug Control Policy
January 23, 2003
Powerful New Drug Prevention Ads to Debut on Super Bowl
Drug Office Looks to Build on Success of Last Year's Ads
(Washington, D.C.) -- The Office of National Drug Control Policy
(ONDCP) today announced the launch of two new sets of advertisements,
premiering during the Super Bowl and pre-game show, designed to
further educate Americans about the risks of drug use. Two of the ads
aimed at teens are a response to research showing that American youth
want to be provided with the facts about marijuana. A second pair of
ads will follow up on the groundbreaking spots linking drugs, terror
and violence that were released during last year's Super Bowl. The ads
are part of the ONDCP's National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign, which
is designed to help America's youth reject illicit drugs.
The new marijuana spots are part of a hard-hitting campaign that
launched in October and aim to provide teens with real-world examples
of what can go wrong when they use marijuana. "Pregnancy Test" focuses
on teen pregnancy and highlights the fact that marijuana can seriously
impair judgment and lead to risk-taking that has serious long-term
negative consequences. "Roadside Memorial" highlights the tragic
consequences of drug-impaired driving. The spots, created by
McCann-Erickson in conjunction with the Partnership for a Drug-Free
America, will also appear on a wide variety of network and cable
channels.
"This campaign is designed to show teens some of the ways that using
marijuana can cripple a young person's future," said John Walters,
Director of National Drug Control Policy. "The fact is that teens who
use the drug are more likely to take risks that can gravely affect
their lives and the lives of others. The prevailing belief that
marijuana is a harmless drug is simply wrong."
The second pair of ads, entitled "Subway" and "Office," were created
by Ogilvy and Mather under the umbrella of the successful Drugs and
Terror campaign that launched during last year's Super Bowl. Part of a
continuing effort to inspire national dialogue about the connection
between drugs, terror and violence, the spot illustrates the sobering
point that drug use has social consequences far beyond those that
affect the individual user and his or her family. The ads challenge
potential drug purchasers to examine the wider implications of their
actions.
The new ads have been extensively tested with target audiences. To
view the ads or learn more about the Campaign, visit
www.MediaCampaign.org beginning Sunday. For more information about
marijuana, teens should log onto www.Freevibe.com. Information for
parents and other adults can be found at www.TheAntiDrug.com.
In 1998, with the bipartisan support of Congress and the President,
ONDCP created the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign, an effort
designed to educate and empower youth to reject illicit drugs.
Counting on an unprecedented blend of public and private partnerships,
non-profit community service organizations, volunteerism, and
youth-to-youth communications, the Campaign is designed to reach
Americans of diverse backgrounds wherever they live, learn, work, play
and practice their faith.
(end text)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
