Why is it important to reach young people through a media campaign?
As a strategy to prevent and reduce youth drug and alcohol use, the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign is an important part of the nation’s drug prevention efforts targeting the vulnerable teen audience. The Media Campaign keeps the drug issue on the public agenda as the country’s most visible and consistent media messenger, combating the ever-growing pro-drug content pervasive in the popular culture, mass media, and the Internet. Not only do teens spend a great deal of time with media – about six hours per day spent reading and watching TV, Internet, videos, magazines, and newspapers – but research shows that teen attitudes about risky behaviors can be influenced by media messages and consumption. Television shows and films often glamorize smoking and drug use and can “normalize” these behaviors for viewers, influencing and even encouraging them to become users. Research also shows that anti-drug messages can have a positive impact on teens. Teens who were exposed to the National
