Anyone who watched television in the 1990s remembers the ads: “This is your brain on drugs,” followed by an egg splattering into a frying pan, and some dialogue that was trying too hard to fit with the “cool” lingo of the times. Everyone may remember them, but how effective were they?
Anti-drug campaigns actually started in the early 1980s with Nancy Reagan proclaiming, “Just say no.” Drug Abuse Resistance Education, or DARE, was founded in 1983 as a partnership between the Los Angeles Police Department and L.A. public schools. The idea was that those police officers would go into schools to talk to kids about the dangers of drugs, and the kids would sign a pledge promising not to use. Part of the program entailed improving the self-esteem of students so that they would be able to resist the temptation to use drugs.
In 2003, the former General Accounting Office created a study to see if the Justice Department was getting a worthwhile return on its DARE investment. Their conclusion was that no significant differences existed in illicit drug use between students who received DARE and those who didn’t.
Why weren’t these programs successful? One idea has to do with psychological reactance or the reaction that occurs when someone is told they can’t do something or must think a certain way. The theory says that a person will adopt an opposite view just to taunt the authority attempting to limit their freedoms. In the case of the anti-drug ads, students would assert their freedom of choice by ignoring the scare tactics and experimenting.
Eventually, after more failed campaigns, the makers of public service announcements changed tack. Instead of the scare tactics and the cringe-worthy ads, the new campaigns tried to appeal to the idea that teens want to be seen as individuals, different from their parents and even their peers. In 2005, the Above the Influence campaign was sponsored by the Office of National Drug Control Policy to help teens stand up to negative pressures and influences. Above the Influence was initially funded at nearly $200 million a year and consisted of television, radio, and print campaigns. These ads were meant to appeal to teens trying to rebel, by showing them that drug use will strip them of their individuality while abstaining would allow them to stand out.
The lesson here is that campaigns that only emphasize the risk of drug use may not be effective with teens. Those who had seen the Above the Influence ads were more likely than others to say that marijuana use was inconsistent with being autonomous and independent and that it would interfere with their goals.
An Ohio State University study of more than 3,000 students found that by the end of eighth grade, twelve percent of those who had not seen the Above the Influence campaign took up marijuana use compared to eight percent among students who were familiar with the campaign.
If you or a loved one need help to quit drugs or alcohol, consider Asana Recovery. We offer medical detox, along with both residential and outpatient programs, and you’ll be supervised by a highly trained staff of medical professionals, counselors, and therapists. Call us any time at (949-438-4504).
