Forums > Social Discussion > Ineffective "Anti-Drug" campaigns.

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NYCNYC
9,232 posts
Location: NYC, NY, USA


Posted:
[Preamble: Please don't turn this into a discussion of drugs or drug use. It would be inappropriate to do so on this site. The administration of this site has stated previously that discussion of illegal activity is not welcome. I'm not advocating drug use, nor am I chastising those that do. I'm only discussing and critiquing the effectiveness of the 'anti drug' movement.]

OK, I know I'm walking on eggshells here but this is a topic that has been bugging me for a few years now. I'm a high school teacher in a public school so I get to see all of the 'anti drug' messages that are out there. Frankly, I think most of them are horribly ineffective. It makes me angry to see some 'anti drug' ads that are so bad they're almost counter productive. They make kids that don't do drugs look like total geeks and sometimes even make the kids that DO drugs look cooler.

I'm gonna barf if I have to see another: (actual anti-drug slogans)
Winners don't use drugs
Crack is Wack
Drug Free I Can B Anything I Want 2 B
Get Hooked on Healthy Choices
Game Over When You Play With Drugs
Don't Monkey With Drugs
Drugs are unBEARable

What kid getting offered a line of coke by a hot girl in the parking lot is gonna feel comfortable saying "Gee, I would... but Drug Free I Can B Anything I Want 2 B"

I blame people who THINK they're doing their job by printing up 1000 "Don't Monkey with Drugs" buttons when actually they're making a mockery of the entire "anti-drug" viewpoint.

I'm 31 and have never done an illegal drug in my life (gasp!) and the most I've ever had to say was "No, thanks." I never got a weggie, I never got stuck in a locker, and I still got invited to all the cool parties.

I know that some of my adult friends use drugs regularly which is fine with me, I'm not taking issue with adult drug use... but it bothers me that my 14 year old students are getting the message that you have to be a total dweeb to not do drugs. The anti-drug student advocates are totally out of touch with the main stream kid in my school. It's almost taking away the child's option NOT to do drugs.

Kids should be educated so that they can make their OWN informed decisions. I think that my tax dollars can do better for drug education than sicky sweet slogans and t-shirts for the two kids who were already not going to do drugs anyway.

[Crosses fingers and hopes that the thread doesn't veer off topic.]

Well, shall we go?
Yes, let's go.
[They do not move.]


onewheeldaveGOLD Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,252 posts
Location: sheffield, United Kingdom


Posted:
I've spent much of my life in and around the 'M' culture.

I agree that govt campaigns along the 'Reefer Madness' lines don't help- there's a lot of anti-drug propaganda that has the opposite effect to that which is intended.

Equally, there's a lot of pro-'M' propaganda that is equally nonsensical and innacurate.

'M' is far from harmless, like alcohol, for the first few years when smoked by college youths it can seem great.

When it turns into a long term pointless habit, then it's destruction aspects can become more apparent (though generally the user is not as aware of it as those around him/her).

And yes, a few recreational spliffs can be harmless, in the same way as a few recreational drinks can be- but, for a significant minority it goes way beyond that.

My experience is that I've known a few people who've had their lives seriously damaged by 'M' use, also many who've at least suffered harm form it; and, IMO, no one I've ever met has truly beneffited from it.

IMO, using 'M', alcohol or any other 'recreational' drug, will lead to you being somewhat less than you could have been without it. That's not to say that it's 'bad' or 'wrong', simply that, IMO, you will achieve less in your life if you do.

Your choice [unless it becomes habitual/addictive smile }

"You can't outrun Death forever.
But you can make the Bastard work for it."

--MAJOR KORGO KORGAR,
"Last of The Lancers"
AFC 32


Educate your self in the Hazards of Fire Breathing STAY SAFE!


Tommmember
39 posts
Location: Brighton / Southampton


Posted:
They're never gonna stop people taking drugs by telling them so much about them. Before i became a complete f*ck-head, most of the information i got about drugs was from anti-drugs campaigns. I got enough info from these that when i first found my Dad's hashpipe and stash, i knew just what to do.
Ironic, huh?
But i'm not complaining. I think drugs are a much better way to enjoy yourself than alcohol (i am talking here about nice smoke and good quality E and trips. Amphetamines, opiates and coke/crack i hate, with a passion.) In my experience they can giv u a much better way of looking at the world.

I am surprised that anyone on this site takes an anti-drugs point of view, considering how the modern fire-spinning scene grew side-by-side with the 60s peace movement and later the 90s rave culture... Maybe i'm just a bit small minded?

Check t'ya bongall rass klan - Eh!
(chilltheworldout)
Lyreecalbombstylee...


MiGGOLD Member
Self-Flagellation Expert
3,414 posts
Location: Bogged at CG, Australia


Posted:
doi *smacks head*

why the whole 'anybody that spins fire is a drugged out hippy?

seriously, there are 14295 Registered User(s). thats straight from the main index. do you really expect there to be not one person in there that doesnt take drugs?

Hey, lets look at the computer using crowd. do all of them wear glasses? or even better, the drug crowd. are all of those broke slobs with a smashed up house, no money, food, car, phone or sense?

can the stereotypes, look at the people behind the group. see the trees, not the forest.

oh, wait, that last one sounded like i was a child of the flower power movement...

"beg beg grovel beg grovel"
"master"
--FSA

"There was an arse there, i couldn't help myself"
--Rougie


NYCNYC
9,232 posts
Location: NYC, NY, USA


Posted:
Written by: MiG


seriously, there are 14295 Registered User(s). thats straight from the main index. do you really expect there to be not one person in there that doesnt take drugs?




Yeah. Of the hundreds of firespinners I've met world wide I can think of at least two others that don't do drugs. wink

Thankfully, it's not the kind of thing that bugs me. biggrin

Well, shall we go?
Yes, let's go.
[They do not move.]


StoneGOLD Member
Stream Entrant
2,829 posts
Location: Melbourne, Australia


Posted:
Bretch just so u know, Aspirin probably wouldn’t pass through registration today.

I suppose it depends how u define dangerous. I find you narrow views on the subject dangerous. Like your comments that you doubted very much that smoking M caused the dudes death. A doped up skydiver, are you serious???

Tomm, I find it interesting that the response to pointing out the obvious - “that drugs are dangerous”, is seen by many as an anti-drugs point of view. I thought the theory these days, was one of understanding the risks and harm reduction.

Perhaps now I can see why “Frank” (from the link) may be understating the dangers of drugs in order to get his message across.

confused

If we as members of the human race practice meditation, we can transcend our fear, despair, and forgetfulness. Meditation is not an escape. It is the courage to look at reality with mindfulness and concentration. Thich Nhat Hanh


Bretchenthusiast
247 posts
Location: Cork, Ireland at present


Posted:
So why can I buy asprin for kids?? Its quite absurb. In a certain country, I read, they give teensagers the 'erb.. I could go on ages on this so i'll stop there.

Most things (specially fun/enjoyable things) are dangerous when looking at stats. But to say the skydiver died because of M is ludicrous, how many times had he done it stoned?? How many of his fellow skydivers do it and others worldwide, and probably still do stoned.. and nothing bad happens. And how many skydivers have died period... with out being stoned??? Loads!!! Singling out the fact that M was in his blood and blaming it, is ignorant, and most if not all stoners know this.

And on something else, regarding to dangerous drugs, alot of stoners will say that M causes less harm then alcohol. Now we know its bad to binge drink, or drink excessively, but a glass of red wine a day is now good for you, not sure about beer/lager etc. It contains stuff that does you good. This could also be case with other things... .... all things moderation I say.

I used to be indecisive, but I'm not so sure now.....


StoneGOLD Member
Stream Entrant
2,829 posts
Location: Melbourne, Australia


Posted:
Well Bretch, perhaps u missed my point. It’s not a competition. I would suggest that both aspirin and the 'erb are dangerous.

I agree that “most things (specially fun/enjoyable things) are dangerous when looking at stats”. And that was my point. Perhaps it is ludicrous to say the skydiver died because of M, but it would have reduced his cognitive abilities, and that could have contributed to his death. How you many people would trust a stoned pilot, or ride with a stoned bus driver or train driver? Next time you’re in the city, look up towards the sky, would you like any of those crane drivers to be stoned????

You also said “And on something else, regarding to dangerous drugs, a lot of stoners will say that M causes less harm then alcohol. Now we know it’s bad to binge drink, or drink excessively…” Again, it’s not a competition, both are dangerous.

It’s true that a glass of red wine a day is good for you and M, as you call it also, also has some medical benefits. It really depends on what we know about the drugs in question. For example, another Jekyll and Hyde medication is Thalidomide, a drug that caused untold misery for thousands can also be used to treat leprosy (?). This is why I maintain that all drugs are dangerous.

Well it’s taken a long time to get to “all things in moderation”. Too much M and you will go potty and end up dopey. Perhaps that’s the danger.

What’s with this denial anyhow???

If we as members of the human race practice meditation, we can transcend our fear, despair, and forgetfulness. Meditation is not an escape. It is the courage to look at reality with mindfulness and concentration. Thich Nhat Hanh


Bretchenthusiast
247 posts
Location: Cork, Ireland at present


Posted:
This is in reply to Stone's post above, a sentence at a time....

Fair point.

but surely, then its the person that is being dangerous and not the drug??? OK, it could have contributed to his death, but I still feel its wrong to 'blame' the drug for his death. I work all night in an internet cafe, half the staff come to work stoned, but I don't, and very rarely smoke when I'm at work, 1. cause there's no point (for me), 2. I'm dealing with some one elses money, and if I f*ck up, it's my fault. I'm responible for my actions.

But dangerous in what way? alc is known for what damage it can cause, but not the same for M. More research will be required before anyone can claim it causes this or that (this is not including the way the majority of people take it 'cos this does obviously cause bodily harm).

Yeah, but too much for someone is not enough for another... how much is too much, people are different in many ways, and this is the problem. I would never say that M is safe for everyone, as I'm sure it's not.. a friend of mine was sure that when she had panic attacks it was brought on by smoking the day before.

Perhaps it would be best to say 'all drugs CAN be dangerous', then its' up to the (potential) user to get the required information. I'd happily agree to that, what d'ya think????? Agree, or shall we agree to disagree.. ubblol

Denial?? who me.. No... wink

I used to be indecisive, but I'm not so sure now.....


IcyFireBRONZE Member
newbie
16 posts
Location: Wiltshire, England.


Posted:
Written by: nearly_all_gone


Written by: MiG


some of the anti smoking ads here, that i havent seen for ages, coincedentally, were rather good. a guy cutting a brain open and showing the blood clot from a stroke, caused by smoking, an aorta getting all the gunk squeezed out of it, someone pouring a glass of tar over a pair of lungs. very graphic, slightly disturbing, and a lot more effective than 'dont monkey with drugs' or 'Crack is Wack'.




Seriously, these are exactly the kinds of things they used in the experiement which proved this kind of thing does nothing to stop existing behaviour, it only acts as a preventative measure to stop new people doing it. So whilst it's useful on that front, it does virtually nothing to help those who are already addicted. It needs practical advice if it'll work.

Strange but true, and strange it doesn't seem to have been noted by those who work in health promotion!

More




I agree. But i also think that the anti smoking campaigns are much better than the drug ones. But also i get your point. However those anti smoking ads disgust me or make me upset, it doesnt stop me smoking. But i think if i had seen more of them before i started it would of put me off more.


Written by:

If anti drug campaigns showed the horrible side effects of doing drugs, like, for instance, jail terms for theft (to buy more), or living the rest of one's life as a vegetable because one cooked one's brain on X, or some such similar thing, then campaigns would be a lot more effective. and show the kids. sure, the uber conservative parents will bleat about how they dont want little jimmy being scared by an advert showing a big scary man mugging some poor little girl for 20 dollars to go get a hit, but the same parents probably dont want little jimmy to turn into aforementioned big scary man mugging girl, so stuff them. show it graphiic, show it bad, show it worse than it is, in the hopes that little jimmy says to himself 'gee, i dont want to turn into that'. show the junky being rejected for jobs, show the addict digging through a bin for food. scare people, revulse people, make it effective. for gods sake, dont coat it in sugar and only show it during the daytime soapies when the people that should see it are at school, because it wont do jack.

*clears throat, steps off of soapbox*




Agreed 100% Im 17, and so have only recently finnished compulsory education. Im in 6th form now and know people who are 15+ i suppose. I can honestly say i can see shock tactics as the only way to put people off.

NYC, your right, kids do laugh at the anti drug things and make a joke of them. I know. We do it in school. We've never had much of an anti drugs education. On the odd occasion we've been told drugs are bad. Thats about it. The odd anti drugs poster here and there which is defaced. The problem is the people who come up with these slogans probably think they are appealing to kids and sounding "cool" yet they have no idea what they are doing. They just end up giving us a bit of a giggle.

A couple of teachers are more open minded and cool about things and will discuss stuff with you if you like. But its rare and we r lucky to have teachers like that who are more relaxed about stuff and honest.

The way me and some people i know have been put off certain drugs is because we know people who have had bad experiences and just told the honest truth about their lives and its put us off. When a mate of mine told me about how live in london and got into drugs it knocked some sense into me. he mixed various drugs and was led on the streets of london, alone, unable to move, thinking he was going to die. it did put me off!

StoneGOLD Member
Stream Entrant
2,829 posts
Location: Melbourne, Australia


Posted:
Fair enough Bretch, I can live with that.

I don’t generally make broad sweeping generalisations.

But it's like what they say at defensive driver training- treat everyone on the road as an idiot.

Of course, not every other driver is an idiot, just 90% wink

CU

less is more

smile

If we as members of the human race practice meditation, we can transcend our fear, despair, and forgetfulness. Meditation is not an escape. It is the courage to look at reality with mindfulness and concentration. Thich Nhat Hanh


Bretchenthusiast
247 posts
Location: Cork, Ireland at present


Posted:
Very clever stone wink

One thing I wonna say about MiG/Icyfire is the bit about scaring people "show it graphiic, show it bad, show it worse than it is, " this could end up doing more harm then good, as when little jimmy finds out that taking censored doesn't cause this or that, he thinks, what else have they lied and exaggerated about and its not that bad why not try......

I used to be indecisive, but I'm not so sure now.....


CharlesBRONZE Member
Corporate Circus Arts Entertainer
3,989 posts
Location: Auckland, New Zealand


Posted:
OK.... (Blows on his huge trumpet and makes a loud sound that is both comical and attention-generating) BBBLLLLLEAAAAARTT!!!

There was a comment at the start of this thread, that went exactly like this
Written by:

[Preamble: Please don't turn this into a discussion of drugs or drug use. It would be inappropriate to do so on this site. The administration of this site has stated previously that discussion of illegal activity is not welcome. I'm not advocating drug use, nor am I chastising those that do. I'm only discussing and critiquing the effectiveness of the 'anti drug' movement.]





PLEASE MAKE SURE TO REMEMBER THIS REQUEST BEFORE POSTING A REPLY.

To those who have respected both the rules of Home of Poi and NYC's request, please accept the heartfelt thanks of all the moderators.

To those who haven't, please keep this topic STRICTLY on the effectiveness of the anti-drug campaigns. Should you wish to discuss pro's and cons of any illegal substance please use Private Messages or Email, not the public Home of Poi board.


My apologies for shouting. eek


{Sits back to watch the rest of this thread with interest}

HoP Posting Guidelines
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MikeGinnyGOLD Member
HOP Mad Doctor
13,925 posts
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA


Posted:
It's for this reason that I favor a harm-reduction model. That's why I worked for DanceSafe. Educate them on it, give them the tools to make wiser decisions. Don't tell them what they should be doing, but give them positive role-models of good decisions. SHOW them (without telling them) that they can still be whatever they want to be, ravers, hippies, punks without drugs.



You can't stop drug use, but you can decrease the harm that it causes.



Now, in several bars and restaurants I've wandered into the bathroom and noticed that the rubber urinal screen/puck-holder-thingie in the bottom of the urinal (ladies, don't expect to know what I'm talking about) says "SAY NO TO DRUGS" on it.



I guess that's a way to imbed a message! ubblol
EDITED_BY: ...Lightning... (1103212705)

-Mike

Certified Mad Doctor and HoP High Priest of Nutella



A buckuht n a hooze! -Valura


MiGGOLD Member
Self-Flagellation Expert
3,414 posts
Location: Bogged at CG, Australia


Posted:
fair point, bretch. sure if little jimmy knows a few people that are into drugs lots, and he sees that they can, in fact, live normally, then he'll probably go ahead and say 'yeah, this doesnt hurt like they said'.

If, however, the campaigns make just one kid say 'nah, i dont think i'll (smoke that joint, take that pill, inject that needle)' then they have done they're job, no?

"beg beg grovel beg grovel"
"master"
--FSA

"There was an arse there, i couldn't help myself"
--Rougie


simian110% MONKEY EVERY TIME ALL THE TIME JUST CANT STOP THE MONKEY
3,149 posts
Location: London


Posted:
hey, it almost looks like this thread might be headed back on topic.

we might have to quote NYC at the beginning and end of every post though:

"Please don't turn this into a discussion of drugs or drug use"

One thing i was wondering. As previously mentioned on the thread, the UK has a record for honest, factual drug education without moralising.
i seem to remember hearing that the UK has a remarkably high proportion of young drug users compared to many other european countries. That could be inaccurate info, and if it is true then it will be down to many factors, but:

Perhaps an honest, non-scaremongering approach to drug education actually results in greater drug use.

oh, and "Please don't turn this into a discussion of drugs or drug use"

"Switching between different kinds of chuu chuu sometimes gives this "urgh wtf?" effect because it's giving people the phi phenomenon."


Mr MajestikSILVER Member
coming to a country near you
4,696 posts
Location: home of the tiney toothy bear, Australia


Posted:
i think i heard the same thing recently, or maybe it was that the UK has the most underage binge drinkers(australia would so have more, we're just smart enough to not get caught)

"but have you considered there is more to life than your eyelids?"

jointly owned by Fire_Spinning_Angel and Blu_Valley


onewheeldaveGOLD Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,252 posts
Location: sheffield, United Kingdom


Posted:
The UK has a huge drink problem- Friday/Saturday night is carnage night in the casualty wards, the vast majority due to drink.

Also massive levels of underage drinking and underage drinking to excess.

Drinking is portrayed as an integral part of our socialising culture and, at least on occasion, getting totally bombed on alcohol is seen as an essential part of having a good time.

Soon the drinking time laws are to be relaxed to promote 'European style drinking culture' smile

However, I think most people know that the British are incapable of such restraint, particularly the police who have to deal with the present weekend town center chaos.

"You can't outrun Death forever.
But you can make the Bastard work for it."

--MAJOR KORGO KORGAR,
"Last of The Lancers"
AFC 32


Educate your self in the Hazards of Fire Breathing STAY SAFE!


MikeGinnyGOLD Member
HOP Mad Doctor
13,925 posts
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA


Posted:
Incidentally, has anyone ever heard of "The Truth"?

The Truth (www.thetruth.com) is an ad campaign directed against smoking.

Basically, it takes a very "Adbusters-style" approach to the tobacco companies, paints them out to be huge mega-corporations that are killing millions and then asks teenagers if this is what they REALLY want to support by being rebellious and smoking.

The ad campaign recognizes that teenagers see themselves as invincible and don't think about long-term consequences. Instead, it targets itself at the fact that many teens are sincerely concerned about social issues and presents smoking as a social issue in need of activism.

Unlike the anti-tobacco campaigns put out by the tobacco companies, which have been shown to INCREASE teen smoking (duh...like the government didn't see THAT coming a mile away?) The Truth has been shown to decrease teen smoking.

Of course, The Truth operates on a truth-based campaign. They don't present distorted apocryphal horror tales. The Truth figures that the truth is bad enough as it is. That may pose a problem for a similar anti-drug campaign since, let's face it, the War on Drugs is supported by many things that are far from truth.

-Mike

Certified Mad Doctor and HoP High Priest of Nutella



A buckuht n a hooze! -Valura


NYCNYC
9,232 posts
Location: NYC, NY, USA


Posted:
Written by: ...Lightning...


Unlike the anti-tobacco campaigns put out by the tobacco companies, which have been shown to INCREASE teen smoking (duh...like the government didn't see THAT coming a mile away?) The Truth has been shown to decrease teen smoking.




Got any data on that?

Well, shall we go?
Yes, let's go.
[They do not move.]


Xopher (aka Mr. Clean)enthusiast
456 posts
Location: Hoboken, New Jersey, USA


Posted:
I'm one of those people who "doesn't do drugs" -- that's in quotes because I do TAKE drugs, but only the ones I have prescriptions for (and I mean no alcohol, no caffeine, and much less CHOCOLATE than I'd like). The biggest reason: the ones I have prescriptions for frell me up quite enough...

I agree that lying is ineffective. Once kids find out one lie, they downgrade the source. In other words, if you tell them pot can make them go crazy and kill their friends (lie), they won't believe you when you tell them PCP can (truth). Add the problem of Source Confusion Error (who did I hear that from again?), and lies about drugs from ANY source potentially make ALL information less credible.

A particularly egregious example: there was a picture circulating a few years ago...two pictures, really. One was a "normal" brain. The other was the brain of someone who'd used a lot of X for a long time. Well, the second picture had big black holes in it, where the brain was inactive!!! Scary, eh? But it was a PET scan, and those show the brain's actual activity, not its capacity for activity. Everything they said could be literally true, and if the "post-X" person was, say, asleep, the PET scan would look very different. So it was scare crap.

A historical note (or if you're British, an historical note): Reefer Madness was not made to get kids to stop smoking pot. It was made to pressure legislatures to make pot illegal. And just to be safe, ban all hemp growing. And the fact that this meant that the huge and growing demand for paper had to be met by timber was JUST A COINCIDENCE, as was the fact that William Randolph Hearst (think Citizen Kane, but completely without conscience) a) owned huge timber interests and b) financed the making of Reefer Madness. Yep. Just a coincidence.

No wonder kids don't believe anything they hear.

And I agree with Lightning (I'm sure you're shocked) that The Truth has the right approach. Real people; real pictures of the real people's dead relatives; real quotes from tobacco executives who make Hearst look like Mother Teresa.

"If you didn't like something the first time, the cud won't be any good either." --Elsie the Cow, Ruminations


Bretchenthusiast
247 posts
Location: Cork, Ireland at present


Posted:
True true MiG, Personally though, I would rather 100 potentail young users to have given a choice with facts and to decide what the best thing to do, then have 1 kid so no to all drugs... but thats coming from a pro-drug opinion.... and I known many will see faults with that statement, I look forward reading and considering them!!!

I used to be indecisive, but I'm not so sure now.....


MiGGOLD Member
Self-Flagellation Expert
3,414 posts
Location: Bogged at CG, Australia


Posted:
i'd like to be pro drugs, but i've seen one too many people gas themselves in their car after a crash from dexamphetamines. so it isnt happening.

"beg beg grovel beg grovel"
"master"
--FSA

"There was an arse there, i couldn't help myself"
--Rougie


MikeGinnyGOLD Member
HOP Mad Doctor
13,925 posts
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA


Posted:
Well, MiG, that's the difference between being pro-drugs and pro-drugs-and-driving. I'm all for alcohol. I'm also all for NOT DRIVING after using.



NYC, I do have a reference for you (just one I found during a literature search on the topic):



Neiderdeppe J, Farrelly MC, Haviland ML. "Confirming 'truth' more evidence of a successful tobacco countermarketing campaign in Florida. Am J Public Health. 2004 Feb;94(2):255-7



Abstract:

This study provides additional evidence that Florida's "truth" tobacco countermarketing campaign was successful in reducing smoking among Florida teens. Smoking rates were substantially lower among Florida teens between fall 2001 and spring 2002, whereas previous studies found that smoking rates were comparable before the launch of "truth." Florida teens had higher levels of "truth" campaign awareness and were more likely to agree with campaign-targeted beliefs; 2 of these beliefs were the only items associated with current smoking.



Anyway, if you go to PubMed (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&itool=toolbar) and type in "The Truth tobacco" you'll get a bunch of hits. Pick any of the relevant article and click on the link next to it "Find related articles" and you'll get most of them.
EDITED_BY: ...Lightning... (1103394114)

-Mike

Certified Mad Doctor and HoP High Priest of Nutella



A buckuht n a hooze! -Valura


MiGGOLD Member
Self-Flagellation Expert
3,414 posts
Location: Bogged at CG, Australia


Posted:
we wasnt driving. he was sitting in his car with a hose. the car was running, but i dont think it counts as driving.

"beg beg grovel beg grovel"
"master"
--FSA

"There was an arse there, i couldn't help myself"
--Rougie


Xopher (aka Mr. Clean)enthusiast
456 posts
Location: Hoboken, New Jersey, USA


Posted:
Oh, 'crash' as in the comedown from the DRUG!!! Like Lightning, I thought you meant he crashed the CAR. And I couldn't figure out what you meant by 'gas himself' in the car...I get it now.

"If you didn't like something the first time, the cud won't be any good either." --Elsie the Cow, Ruminations


NYCNYC
9,232 posts
Location: NYC, NY, USA


Posted:
**Bumping it up cuz I found a new website**

OK. Now I'm wondering how PRO drug some campaigns are in the UK! Check out this site:

BBC Site

You can give the guy cocaine or speed and he just looks like he's having way more fun. One line of coke looks like a blast! No mention of cardiac arrest or anything else!

If you just have the guy do ONE drug, he's great and having much more fun. It's only after he does multiple doses that it starts to list any major risks. If you keep taking more and more... nothing bad happens.

This seems pretty damn irresponsible.

Well, shall we go?
Yes, let's go.
[They do not move.]


MikeGinnyGOLD Member
HOP Mad Doctor
13,925 posts
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA


Posted:
I have mixed feelings on that site. I think that site does provide fair and balanced information about drugs, rather than using scare tactics. Believe me, I'm a D.A.R.E. graduate and what D.A.R.E. taught me was that if I smoked pot even once, I would be a heroin addict within days. That's great if you're a naive ten-year-old, but if you aren't, then you realize it's all a load of garbage.

At least this website is directed at kids who probably have some experience with drugs and it gives some harm reduction information.

My problem is that I think it understates the danger of using these drugs. Especially coke, which is becoming more and more popular nowadays.

-Mike

Certified Mad Doctor and HoP High Priest of Nutella



A buckuht n a hooze! -Valura


polaritySILVER Member
veteran
1,228 posts
Location: on the wrong planet, United Kingdom


Posted:
I think the heart of the problem is that the people who commission these campaigns are as naive as those 10 year olds, but are 50-60 somethings. At least the 10 year olds have a chance of getting more reasonable ideas with time.

A vote for someone who's never done anything wrong in their life, and has never associated with wrong-doers, is a vote for a clueless ****wit wink It's all very well choosing someone responsible to make important decisions, but if they're inexperienced or badly informed (surrounded by other CFWs wink ) they just aren't the right people to be making those decisions. Which is why Charles Kennedy should have stayed in charge of the Liberal Democrats wink

Several illegal drugs can be used relatively safely (compared to some perfectly legal recreational activities), provided they aren't used to excess, are used in the proper settings, and are used by well informed people.

Harm reduction is the same kind of idea as having people take training before doing downhill skiing or motor racing.

Also the stigma associated with drug use (and anti drug campaigning too) makes it difficult for someone to receive help when they need it. They may get ostracised when they just need someone to tell them the truth, or they may start to consider friends to be of the 'just say no' mentality when informed that they're overdoing it.

A harm reduction campaign consisting of both sides of the story (basically, drugs are good, but also bad in equal measure), that treats people as intelligent human beings, capable of making their own well informed decisions, will always work better than the 'lies to children' (as Terry Pratchett puts it) campaigns that are insulting to the target audience and hence ignored completely.

You aren't thinking or really existing unless you're willing to risk even your own sanity in the judgment of your existence.

Green peppers, lime pickle and whole-grain mustard = best sandwich filling.


TheBovrilMonkeySILVER Member
Liquid Cow
2,629 posts
Location: High Wycombe, England


Posted:
 Written by: polarity


A harm reduction campaign consisting of both sides of the story (basically, drugs are good, but also bad in equal measure), that treats people as intelligent human beings, capable of making their own well informed decisions, will always work better than the 'lies to children' (as Terry Pratchett puts it) campaigns that are insulting to the target audience and hence ignored completely.



I agree, telling lies like that never works completely, because once the children have found out that you're lying amd being a hypocrite, they lose respect for you and everything else you're telling them.

On the other hand, I think that changing the warning labels of cigarettes to things like 'WARNING, SMOKING MAKES YOUR PENIS SHRIVEL AND FALL OFF!' would probably cut down on the number of kids smoking, they'd probably be far too scared wink

But there's no sense crying over every mistake. You just keep on trying till you run out of cake.


BirgitBRONZE Member
had her carpal tunnel surgery already thanks v much
4,145 posts
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland (UK)


Posted:
yup Bovril... I remember when we introduced them the ones with the spermcount had a good effect... though the German warning contains the term "spermatozoa", and apparently a few thousand people called the consumer info line to ask what it meant ubblol

Apart from that, I remember that at age 11 we were told at school that drugs are bad, and a policeman gave us brochures with lots of nice pictures of what I found out a few years later was top quality hash wink But since out designated no-drugs teacher was a chain smoker the whole thing was a bit silly.

"vices are like genitals - most are ugly to behold, and yet we find that our own are dear to us."
(G.W. Dahlquist)

Owner of Dragosani's left half


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