Are Anti Drug Advertising Campaigns Effective - Essay Example

College Argument Paper 13 May Are Anti Drug Advertising Campaigns Effective? Anti drug campaigns are the sources which aim to informing the public about the worst effects of drug abuse. These campaigns develop a strategic policy to awaking the people about the awful sights of drugs maltreatment. Increasing cases of drug abuse and high mortality cause became a need to aware the public about their horrible facts. For example Mentor foundation.org is serving as an anti drug advertising website which accumulated the finding about drastic effects of drug abuse on the world. It compiled that the details that there were 180 million illicit user of drugs all over the world. It has also collected the information that the use of tobacco enhanced among the teens and females not only in the developed countries but also in the developing countries (Mentor Foundation). According to the book of Peter Hakim the facts came on the spot was that the drug consumption statistics of the United States are not satisfactory. The originated Indication was marking that the usage of cocaine and marijuana which were higher in the past reduced gradually with the time. However, the statistical status of recent studies alarmed the concerned parties with the indication that the rate of illegal drugs usage of the people of the United States increases three times more than the same incident of European population (Hakim). It is necessary to educate people that drug addiction, just to reduce the stress of life, fashion and enjoyment, is not the correct choice. In fact, this is the way which leads people towards the criminal approach. After recognized such circumstances, different countries developed anti drug Campaigns for the public awareness. The basic goal of these Campaigns are to prevent the public from drug addiction, aware them about drug abuse and to help the addicted people towards joining a healthy mode of life. To increase the possibility of a drug free society is also an objective of these campaigns. On the way to achieving their goal these campaigns utilize advertising techniques that hold the great impact upon the public in daily life. Such impacts of anti drug advertising effectively enhance the chances to handle the issue of drug abuse. The anti drug advertising campaigns influence the public in various aspects. The lessons of these campaigns greatly influence the individuals of each age group. Their effective education produces revolutionized impacts upon the public mind set. The research work of Lauren G. Block, Vicki G. Morwitz & William P. Putsis supports the above idea and tells the fact that anti drugs advertising effectively reduced the habit of adolescent drug addiction (Block, Morwitz and Putsis). However, according to a report by Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly (2002), the antidrug advertising campaigns do not affect the amount of drugs they use. Those who are predisposed to marijuana or other drug consumption may not be affected by these campaigns with regards to the amounts of drugs they consume (f John Wiley & Sons Inc.). The anti drug advertising campaigns utilize every possible source that has a very vast impact upon the public. For this purpose these campaigns follow a strategic plan to targeting the public through various aspects for reducing the drug abuse. The basic tools of these campaigns are the sources of both print and electronic media. Through the advertisement these sources call the people to develop anti drug abusing phenomenon. The media plays a remarkable role of the most efficient awareness weapon in our modern world. Media not only highlights each and every issue of life but also has the potential to change the public concerns about any issue (Office of National Drug Control Policy). According to the National Youth Anti Drug Media Campaigns, media anti drug advertising, very successfully, participated in developing the withdrawl attitude in teens towards drugs addiction (Campaigne Effectiveness 2012). The Media advertising is such a wonderful medium which have moral fiber to change the public point of view about drug dependence. The media advertising campaigns also developed the slogan strategy to discouraging the drug obsession activity and replacing the philosophy of people towards drug dependence. For example the think slogan.com is one of those electronic advertising media which established to develop the anti drug slogans that help in spreading the idea among people to give up the drug addicting activity instantly (Anti Drug Slogans 2012). Anti-drug advertisements, as the research suggests, are effective. However, a useful and more interesting exposure is made by Cho and Boster (2008) on the effectiveness of negative framing of messages on drug consumption. Their research reveals that although the campaigns are useful in the reduction of drug consumption, it is evident that adolescents are more influenced by negative portrayal or loss-framing advertisements. The study also emphasizes on the exposure or experiences of adolescents which impacts the effectiveness of media campaigns against drug consumption. Children or youngsters who have a friends’ circle who use drugs are more likely to be influenced by loss-frame advertisement techniques, however, those with no such exposure and experience are more likely to be influenced by gain-frame advertisement campaigns. The possible reason for such differences is the psychological underpinning of health and society among adolescents (Cho and Boster). Along with the common public awareness, anti drug advertising campaigns also aware the state officials. This is the chief achievement of these campaigns which reflects their effectiveness for the promotion of anti drug phenomenon. These campaigns highlighted the need of law against drug abuse which is the severe demand of the time in such conditions. Via advertisement of the worst state of drugs abuse, anti drugs campaigns has forced the government to taking prompt action against drug addiction, drug trafficking and other illegal abuses of drugs in our society. For example by advertising an idea of the state free from drugs abuses, a website, the drug free california.org launched which taught the different age groups about worst sides of tobacco, alcohol and other drugs. Such websites help the people with its expertise on how to live far away from the drug addicting activity (Drug free California). By visualizing the effective drug control outcome of media advertising, the United State of America is granting annual funds for these campaigns support. It is featured by R. Gil Kerlikowske on the website that the recent American policy has produced the results of low usage of drugs than those which appeared in the past and they also declined the crime rate in America related to the drug abuse (Kerlikowske 2012). Medical awareness is also an effective step of the anti drug advertising campaigns. The lives of people addicted of drug abuses are extremely merciful. These people, due to their worst activity of drug addiction, have lost all the charms of a healthy life. These people have not only lost their health, intelligence and social relationships but also their effective status in the society. Drug addiction makes these people isolate themselves from the original happiness of life. They lose their aims to live and pass their rest of life in extreme depression. Anti drug advertising campaigns also address that issue in a more delightful way. They provide very helpful guide line for those who want to quit their addicted status. In this respect anti drug advertising campaigns are arranging programs and sessions of the experts psychiatrist and doctors which expertly treat these addicted patients in both physical and behavioral perspectives. For example Time to get help is an advertising site which is established to help those parents whose children want to give up drug addiction (Time to get help). Anti drug campaigns never left the option of moral awareness. These campaigns not only aware the children but also their parents to take prompt action about the drug abuse of their child and prevent their involvement into the drug addiction. For example, Olivia guides the parents in her post on intervene.drugfree.org that they should have to prepare, observe and check all the cues which develop doubts towards their child being associated with drug use and abuse (Olivia 2011). By such steps, these campaigns targeted the public by teachings of social values and religious faiths. In these advertisements campaigns people are taught about their moral duties towards the society. National Institute on Drug abuse recognized the facts that social teachings of moral values are helpful in reducing the adolescent involvement in drugs abuses (NIDA). The anti drug advertising campaigns also influence the people by teaching different faiths related to the drugs abuses. Theses guiding advertisements are designed to convincing the strong believers of different religions. The research of the John P. Hoffmann, Stephen J. Bahr concluded the facts that there is negative association built up between the religious association and drugs addiction (Stephen et al. 2008). This moral advertising strategy of anti drug campaigns also played an effective role to promoting an anti-drug society. Anti drug campaigns are not a game of magic. They are the foundation of fight against illicit drug activities. These campaigns efficiently work with an aim to removing and reducing the drug maltreatment through their effective media advertising. These campaigns are showing their valid effectiveness with the time. These campaigns gradually teach that how to say no ehrn it comes to drug abuse and other related substance abuse activities. These campaigns are effective in raising the need of anti drug abuse law development and its effective implementation in the countries. Although results of the anti drug campaign are not hundred percent but they are very much effective in reducing the drugs abuses among the teens. Hence the picture of the conducted researches showed that anti drug advertising campaigns are effective. The gradual increase in the success of anti drug advertising campaigns expresses their helpful effort for the efficient drug control. When movement of the anti drug campaigns will progress then the better results for its effectiveness will also be achieving soon. Works Cited Cho, Hyunyi, & Fanklin J Boster. "Effects of Gain Versus Loss Frame Antidrug Ads on Adolescents.", Journal of Communication, (2008) : 428-446. F. John Wiley & Sons Inc., "Pa. law makers introduce managed care addiction bills.", Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly, 12 August (2002): 4-5. Hakim, Peter.,” Rethinking Us Drug Policy”. Beckley Foundation. Oxford, (2011). Intervention Strategies, Preventing Adolescent Drug Abuse, National institute on drug abuse (NIDA), n.d, pdf file. Mentor Foundation, “How big is the Drug problem?”, FAQ, mentorfoundation.org, n.d, web, 14 May 2012 n.d., About, time to get help, n.d, web. 13 May 2012 n.p., Anti Drug Slogans, think slogans.com, n.d.web,13 May 2012 Drug Free California, “Our Mission”, drug free california.org, n.d.web, 13 May 2012 Office of National Drug Control Policy, Campaign Effectiveness. Campaign Effectiveness Report. Washington Office of National Drug Control Policy, n.d. Olivia, “How to Prepare for a Drug Intervention with Your Teenage”, intervene.drugfree.org,27 October (2011),web.13 May 2012 R. Gil Kerlikowske, The Obama Administration’s New Drug Control Strategy, Drug Policy Reform, center for American progress, 01 May (2012), web. 13 May 2012 Read More