I’ve been sent some info about this film comp, and I’m going to share it with you, but I’m also going to add my opinion since I’ve touched on this throughout my psych degree, and have found lots of evidence to suggest why these kinds of campaigns don’t work. First the info;
The Face Facts short film competition is asking young Aussies to produce an original 60-second film to highlight the dangers associated with taking the drug ecstasy. The competition asks the question – how would you warn your own mates about the dangers of taking ecstasy. The winning film will receive a cool $10k cash, while five runner-ups will pocket $1k each.
The competition opened at 10am today, and those keen to get involved can find more details at the microsite (here). Entries close on April 30, when six final films will be chosen and uploaded to this microsite. Then anyone can log on, watch the films, and vote for their favourite to be in with a chance of winning $5k themselves!
My objections are pretty simple and you can read them after the jump…
The poster attached to this post sums up exactly the wrong way to approach drug education. It makes me laugh to think that people would actually select this kind of image to stop drug use, nobody takes drugs in places like that! They go to parties, festivals and clubs and have fun, and there are good reasons for why ‘fear’ campaigns don’t work.
There is an inherent flaw in the design of these campaigns. If you’re lead to believe that drugs will cause you harm (tremors, nausea, memory impairment, etc… and of course in extreme cases death) and you take the chance and try drugs, and no harm comes to you, you feel like you’ve been lied to, which of course you have. You’re now less likely to believe any future fear campaigns, because you know there’s little truth in their claims.
Instead I think it is more beneficial to tell the truth. If you take ecstasy you’re going to feel good, and MDMA itself isn’t going to harm you in it’s pure form. MDMA was originally used as a couple’s therapy drug to increase libido and ‘closeness.’ Today the risk lies in quality control. There’s no guarantee the product you buy is what you think it is.
It’s also important to highlight the facts about addiction, often included in most fear campaigns. When you first try a drug (whether it’s illegal OR alcohol) you don’t know if you’re going to become addicted. It’s the risk you take and this needs to be highlighted, drugs and alcohol can be attractive ways to avoid your problems but they do little to solve your problems in the long run.
If we educated people about drugs, and don’t induce fear, we’re more likely to have the effect we want, less people causing themselves serious harm.
There’s a typo in this sentence: “If you take ecstasy you’re going to feel good, and MDMA itself is going to harm you in it’s pure form.”
I think you meant “isn’t going to harm you”
With these sort of campaigns you have to asked where the money is coming from. The people who are paying don’t believe in harm minimization they only believe in a black and white world. So it’s drugs are evil and that people who take them are evil.
Personally I think drug use can cause issues with lots of people but I don’t think people will ever stop taking drugs. I think it takes people with a very juvenile mindset to expect people to stop.
I will take their $10k though.
Thanks for picking that up Alex, careless on my part!
Yeah agreed, the money is coming from the government I presume, well they’re sponsoring it. I think you’re right about people never stopping, it’s just something some people like to do, just like drink alcohol.
I wonder if the winner will use the $10k to buy drugs. I think that would be irony wouldn’t it?!
The statement “MDMA itself isn’t going to harm you in it’s pure form” reminded me of a thought I had the other day. I was considering how the massive drug bust that occurred last year that supposedly “made the streets safer,” actually resulted in a huge number of really unsafe pills flooding the market.
Agreed! I think it’d be better if they just made it legal and the government took control of it. Just like what happened with alcohol! Before alcohol production had regulations, and making it yourself was the cheaper option, people were causing themselves lots of damage. Governments realised that people were going to continue doing it, and having dry areas wasn’t going to work. They took control, standardised the industry and it was safer for everyone. Maybe it’s the same for drugs?
Yeah I agree, the problem is that governments are concerned with policy making that is appealing to voters in the short term, no one is willing to make unpopular choices where the benefits may only be seen 10 or 15 years down the track. I guess the obvious comparison would be the Netherlands and marijuana, but I unfortunately don’t know enough about the legislation, public reactions etc to say either “hey this worked really well” or “it was a good idea, but it didn’t work”
Ecstasy Fries your Brain
spot on, it should be about education not scare tactics.
another way to look at it is the financial drain it can have on someone.
maybe picture someone partying on the weekend and monday goes to grab some money and finds $0.00 in their account?
money is more important to kids these days, we think we’re all immortal anyway haha