Attitudinal Basis of Drug Use: 1987; Changing Attitudes Toward Drug Use: 1988; The Attitudinal Basis of Drug Abuse: the Third Year: 1989

• NCJ Number: 124416
• Author(s): G S Black
• Date Published: 1989
• Length: 233 pages
• Corporate Author: Gordon S. Black Corporation
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Program Description (Model)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Partnership for a Drug-Free America strives to reduce the demand for illegal drugs by promoting advertising that encourages non-users not to start and encourages users to decrease or terminate their use.

Abstract

Three annual reports document the results of a study to (1) provide information that might be useful in the design of advertising aimed at discouraging drug use, and (2) track the effectiveness of the advertising effort itself over time. The first report identifies those attitudes and factors that could be instrumental in inducing consumers not to use illegal drugs, or to reduce their consumption if they are currently users. Results are summarized and recommendations are made according to age group, ethnicity, and other demographic variables. The second report summarizes the changes in attitudes that occurred over the first year and analyzes the relationship between those changes and the advertising effort of the Media-Advertising Partnership for a Drug-Free America. Matched samples were used to compare survey responses between 1987 and 1988, and the change in response was measured. Overall, the media and advertising campaign seemed to increase negative attitudes toward drug use. The third report again utilized matched samples, this time to compare survey results in the third year of the media campaign to those of the first two years (1987 and 1988). Results showed continued changes in attitudes and orientation away from the use of illegal drugs. These changes were greater in high media exposure areas than in low media exposure areas, suggesting that the Media-Advertising Partnership for a Drug-Free America has been effective. 123 tables.