NCJ Number
227629
Date Published
2004
Length
0 pages
Annotation
This four-part DVD educates youth, parents, and youth-serving constituencies about the dangers of illicit drugs and how to counter them, with a focus on "date rape" drugs, club drugs, marijuana, and the ineffectiveness of the "harm-reduction" approach to drug policy.
Abstract
The segment on "date rape" drugs focuses on the predatory uses and effects of such drugs as GHB which are used by predators at bars and clubs to drug unwitting women, and sometimes men, to the point of intoxication and unconsciousness so they can be sexually assaulted and/or robbed against their wills or even awareness. The segment on club drugs focuses on the effects and dangers of drugs commonly used at party clubs and raves, such as ecstasy, methamphetamine, and ketamine. These and other drugs are used singly and in combination, often with alcohol. The involvement of drug dealers, gangs, and organized crime in the club subculture is also addressed. The segment on marijuana challenges efforts to diminish the psychological and physical harms of marijuana by touting its medical and recreational uses. The segment portrays marijuana as a debilitating, harmful drug that becomes an introduction ("gateway drug") to hardcore drugs. This segment advocates the continued criminalization of marijuana. The segment that challenges the "harm-reduction" approach to drug policy focuses on the ineffectiveness and dangers of needle-exchange programs for intravenous drug users, "safe crack kits," and "shooting galleries," where drug users can purchase and use drugs in a supposedly safe environment. This segment promotes the criminalization of harmful drugs, as well as drug prevention and drug treatment leading to abstinence. The format for each segment of the DVD is similar. A high school drama club dramatizes questions and answers, interspersed with facts and comments by experts in the relevant field, followed by fact summaries and specific advice on personal actions.