NCJ Number
197408
Date Published
December 2002
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This document presents information about national youth anti-drug media campaign activities.
Abstract
Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) and PRIDE Youth Programs staged events in seven cities in October and November to raise awareness and convey the risks of youth marijuana use to parents and other adults. Materials urging parents to turn to TheAntiDrug.com, the campaign’s adult-focused Web site, were distributed. Events were held in Boston, New Orleans, Orlando, Milwaukee, Indianapolis, Houston, and Seattle. Parents are the most influential factor in kids’ decisions not to use marijuana. The best way to know where kids are and what they’re doing is to ask. Marijuana is the most widely used illicit drug among today’s youth. Marijuana use can lead to a host of health, social, and behavioral problems for teens. There are many popular myths about the so-called harmlessness of marijuana, but research shows that marijuana use is risky for teens at a crucial time in their lives. The campaign, its national partner organizations, and a number of other Federal agencies, such as the National Institute on Drug Abuse, are encouraging parents to be more aware of the risks and to talk to their kids about those risks. The campaign is hosting a marijuana roundtable series to educate the entertainment industry and the media about the dangers of adolescent marijuana use. Entertainment and the media have major influences in the lives of young people. In September, the Campaign advertised in nearly 300 newspapers around the country featuring an “Open Letter” urging parents to learn about marijuana and to talk to their kids about the harm it poses to young users. Outreach has been expanded to Hispanic parents with a comprehensive re-design of the Spanish-language Web site, LaAntiDroga.com. Young people created a colorful, expressive “Anti-Drug” mural in Newberg, Oregon. Two popular brands, DKNY Jeans and CosmoGirl!, teamed up to bring anti-drug messages to teen girls. Borders and Waldenbooks stores served as distribution points for the campaign’s parenting brochure “Keeping Your Kids Drug-Free: A How-To Guide for Parents and Caregivers.”