Anti-Drug Ads and Their Flaws

[The Sum of Awe]

Is it just me or do the anti-drug programs just put any old thing out to get people to stop doing them?

I bet if a man was smoking and a car hit him, found dead on the road with a full pack of smokes in his hand, anti-drug programs will use it as a "warning not to do drugs".

Most of the things they come up with are flawed because anyone, even if they're not doing drugs, can die or get hurt that way...

 

[Yerda]

The 'just say no' kind of crap we were shown in high school didn't reflect the situations we were encountering in any recognisable way. You were left with the feeling that anyone swayed by them must be cognitively challenged.

 

[strikeviperMKII]

Does any one remember that commercial where they held up an egg and said: "this is your brain"

then they pulled out a frying pan, cracked the egg into it so you could hear the sizzling and said: "this is your brain on drugs"?

Yes. I liked the rendition of the Homer's brain on doughnuts. It showed his brain as a half eaten doughnut

 

[McBell]

Yes. I liked the rendition of the Homer's brain on doughnuts. It showed his brain as a half eaten doughnut

That commercial never once made think about anything other than going to get something to satisfy the munchies...

I spent quite a bit of money at the local Denny's cause of that commercial.

 

[apophenia]

Apparently amphetamines do you no harm if you are in the military.In fact, in the USAF 'go-pill' program during the Iraq invasion, pilots who declined amphetamines were grounded. According to the Surgeon General at the time, "there is no evidence that amphetamines cause any physical or psychological harm".

Also they are apparently harmless if you are 10 years old and cranky with your parents.

Go figure.

 

[SageTree]

The 'flaw' is that they are based on lies and not empirical data.

Early drug laws were based on racism and stereotypes, which is why I had my car searched by a dog at a 'Border Check Point' INNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Texas!!!! NOT!!!!! at the border, which I never crossed.


The 'further' we get... the more ***** stays the same.




Freedom.... pshhhh.

Only if you're the right colour with the right hair cut.

 

[Reptillian]

The 'just say no' kind of crap we were shown in high school didn't reflect the situations we were encountering in any recognisable way. You were left with the feeling that anyone swayed by them must be cognitively challenged.

Exactly! I remember those D.A.R.E. classes where you'd see videos of some shady looking adult standing by a playground fence saying things like, "Hey kids, want to get high? It'll be fun." or "Want these pills? They look like candy." Real life is a bit more subtle. Those videos were the 80's-90's version of old timey "Duck and Cover" and "Masturbation will cause you to go blind and grow hair on your palms" videos.

Don't get me started on Robot Dating: Hulu - Futurama: Anti-Robot Propaganda

 

[Asking]

I don't think that any drug can be considered harmless but some drugs are worse than others and of the worse ones there are some which people should really steer clear of unless they want to ruin their lives and impact on the lives of those around them.

The problem is that the message is too general and doens't diferentiate between those which have minor side effects and those which are going to turn you into an addict who steals from his family to get their next fix and eventually ends up on the street.

The flip-side to this are those drug users who take an all-or-nothing approach an want the legalisation of all drugs despite the obvious stupidity of this approach. There are some drugs to which access has to be restricted for peoples own protection. The claims that people are capable of making their own decisions regarding drug use is plain nonsense as far as I'm concerned.

 

[strikeviperMKII]

That commercial never once made think about anything other than going to get something to satisfy the munchies...

I spent quite a bit of money at the local Denny's cause of that commercial.

TBH, I had no idea what they were talking about. I was a bit ignorant back then...

 

[apophenia]

Here's a funny thing - Back in the early to mid 90s, Australia was bombed with huge amounts of very pure heroin. During that time, McDonalds was running an ad campaign on TV which always ended with a little ditty " mmm mmm mmm its Mac time !"

Which sounded exactly like "mmm mmm mmm its smack time !"

 

[Nashitheki]

[youtube]L-ASBLTF1Ss[/youtube]
POLICE DRUG TRAINING VIDEO 1960s dope lsd hash PROPAGANDA - YouTube

 

[Father Heathen]

Say no to drugs; unless it's alcohol, nicotine, or caffeine of course.

 

[no-body]

Exactly! I remember those D.A.R.E. classes where you'd see videos of some shady looking adult standing by a playground fence saying things like, "Hey kids, want to get high? It'll be fun." or "Want these pills? They look like candy." Real life is a bit more subtle. Those videos were the 80's-90's version of old timey "Duck and Cover" and "Masturbation will cause you to go blind and grow hair on your palms" videos.

Not so much PSA's but you still see media propaganda of this sort today "OMG meth cooks are creating strawberry flavored crystal meth to get your kids hooked!"

As William Burroughs pointed out (back in the 40's) adolescents are not the ideal target for drug dealers. They might have some small disposable income but they will rat you out in a second if they get caught, which they will if you get them hooked. Also a drug dealer doesn't have to offer free drugs to get anyone addicted, this would be a terrible business model; drugs sell themselves.

The irony is the majority of kids get their drugs from their parents and just sell to each other.

 

[Reptillian]

Not so much PSA's but you still see media propaganda of this sort today "OMG meth cooks are creating strawberry flavored crystal meth to get your kids hooked!"

As William Burroughs pointed out (back in the 40's) adolescents are not the ideal target for drug dealers. They might have some small disposable income but they will rat you out in a second if they get caught, which they will if you get them hooked. Also a drug dealer doesn't have to offer free drugs to get anyone addicted, this would be a terrible business model; drugs sell themselves.

The irony is the majority of kids get their drugs from their parents and just sell to each other.

Pretty much. What I want to know is; where are the PSA's about good parenting?

 

[jasonwill2]

Here's a funny thing - Back in the early to mid 90s, Australia was bombed with huge amounts of very pure heroin. During that time, McDonalds was running an ad campaign on TV which always ended with a little ditty " mmm mmm mmm its Mac time !"

Which sounded exactly like "mmm mmm mmm its smack time !"

I'm sorry but this is hilarious.

 

[no-body]

This is my favorite anti drug PSA by the way:

[youtube]fY1Pl1zGowc[/youtube]
Cleaner girl meth commercial

"mmm, meth!"

 

[Nashitheki]

During the late 60s it was not uncommon to see anti-drug material in television programs. This one really blew my mind -

Blue Boy

[youtube]u5iFVfwMnG4[/youtube]
Dragnet 1967 - Blue Boy"" In 5 Minutes - YouTube

 

[Mathematician]

I don't think that any drug can be considered harmless but some drugs are worse than others and of the worse ones there are some which people should really steer clear of unless they want to ruin their lives and impact on the lives of those around them.

The problem is that the message is too general and doens't diferentiate between those which have minor side effects and those which are going to turn you into an addict who steals from his family to get their next fix and eventually ends up on the street.

The flip-side to this are those drug users who take an all-or-nothing approach an want the legalisation of all drugs despite the obvious stupidity of this approach. There are some drugs to which access has to be restricted for peoples own protection. The claims that people are capable of making their own decisions regarding drug use is plain nonsense as far as I'm concerned.

Perhaps not legalizing hard drugs like heroin or methamphetamine, but decriminalizing them would be ideal over current policy: use and small-scale sales would not result in criminal charges that could further devastate someone's life. They would just be fined and have to enter a rehab program.

Almost everything else should be legalized. Psychedelics like marijuana, mushrooms, mescaline, etc. could be legalized tomorrow.

It's really alarming how these public service ads try to make drugs seem "evil." Inanimate objects aren't evil, not even the addictive or lethal ones.

 

[kai]

I'm sorry but this is hilarious.

I agree, that was funny

 

[ScottySatan]

Is it just me or do the anti-drug programs just put any old thing out to get people to stop doing them?

Yes they do, and unapologetically. And it works.