Millions More for a Failed Anti-Drug Propaganda Campaign? Ridiculous! (AlterNet)

[marmar]

Millions More for a Failed Anti-Drug Propaganda Campaign? Ridiculous!

By Paul Armentano, AlterNet. Posted March 16, 2007.


It's no wonder that a $2 billion anti-drug campaign which included suggestions that smoking pot supports al Qaeda and causes pregnancy completely failed. So why are Republicans throwing another $130 million at it?

Indiana House Republican Mark Souder, a White House point man in Congress for its propaganda war against drugs, recently took to the airwaves to defend one of the Bush administration's sacred cows: its National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign.

If you've had access to a television or a newspaper over the past few years, you're probably familiar with the federal ad campaign. It's the one that's spent over $2 billion since 1998 to produce public-service announcements implying that smoking pot supports al-Qaida and may make you pregnant, among other dubious anti-drug messages. So dubious, in fact, that the campaign has flopped miserably among its target audience. Of course, this fact matters not to the White House, which recently demanded $130 million to run the ads through 2008 -- a 31 percent increase over current funding levels.

Speaking recently with MSNBC's Tucker Carlson, Souder vehemently defended the administration's decision to increase spending for the much-maligned campaign, stating, "The fact is, I believe in results and conservatives believe in results." That said, the results couldn't be any worse.

Consider this:

* A 2002 review by the research firm Westat Inc. and the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania found "no statistically significant decline in marijuana use or improvement in beliefs and attitudes about marijuana use" attributable to the media campaign. Authors of the report -- which was sponsored by the federal government -- later told Congress that the negative results were among the worst in the history of large-scale public communication campaigns.

* A 2003 performance assessment by the White House Office of Management and Budget criticized the Media Campaign for failing to achieve any tangible goals or objectives. There exists "no evidence that paid media messages have a direct effect on youth drug-related behavior," the report concluded. .....(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.alternet.org/drugreporter/49231/

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. When there is no evidence that pot is bad

because the government won't allow major studies on the subject, kids are going to believe what they hear on the streets, not what they pick up from a public service ad--in fact,I'm sure many of them argued that supporting Bush was, in fact, supporting al Qaeda--that can be documented. I'm wondering if this is just another example of how to stuff money into pockets of Republican contributors.

[ixion]

2. the point of the campaign is to demonize pot smokers in the eyes of true believers

which is why they want it to continue running. :grr:

[ClintonTyree]

3. As always, follow the money.

It would be interesting to know which companies these anti-drug dollars are going to and to whom. My guess is that they're mostly Bush "Pioneers" and other well connected Bush toadies. They draining of the Treasury continues, for something that has always been and will always be an abject failure of policy.

[WildClarySage]

4. Marijuana causes pregnancy???

Dang, here I thought it was sex. No wonder I'm having fertility issues. I been trying the wrong approach!

[Wilber_Stool]

6. What you need is a really big

joint. Know what I mean? Nudge, nudge,wink, wink, say no more.

[depakid]

5. So, why is Congress funding this?

Dems hold the purse strings- so they're the ones who are now accountable.

[BeFree]

7. Why?

Because most of us are scairt of the druggies, so most of us support locking them up. The ad campaign is inconsequential except that it spreads pork.

[Demeter]

8. Every Time My Autistic Daughter Sees These Anti-Drug Messages

she goes off her prescribed meds and becomes a raving maniac. The arrogant ones who need to hear the message that messing with one's brain cells is not wise will never hear it, while those whose ability to understand and discriminate amongst the propaganda will become confused.

If you've got a functional brain, do yourself and the world a favor--stay off drugs of any kind, including alcohol and tobacco, eat right, sleep, and use that brain!

I'd give anything for my daughter to have a properly operating nervous system.