There have been several anti-drug campaigns in Europe, but they have had generally little or no success. I feel that it is very difficult to stop teenagers experimenting with illegal drugs.

Methods to educate young people about drugs are usually ineffective for a couple of reasons. First of all, these films or talks are designed and presented by authority figures such as teachers or the police.Generally,teenagers react against these people and reject their values.Secondly,the information is often inaccurate and the teenagers actually think they know more about drugs than the ‘experts’.

In addition,anti-drug campaign are often designed by the wrong people. In Britain recently, one anti-drug campaign featured photographs and posters of drug-users. These photographs were supposed to show how unattractive (thin and pale) drug addicts become. In fact, many teenage girls admired the boy featured and used the poster as a pin-up. They thought he was exciting and glamorous. It would be better of anti-drug campaigns were designed by ex-addicts or teenagers with drug problems.

Another thing which is supposed to deter young drug-users is the threat of long prison sentences. In my opinion, this is a waste of money and ineffective. Fear of arrest and imprisonment will not deter young people. Young people like to take risks.Also,if they are sent to prison they will meet serious criminals and learn more about crimes. They will also develop an anti-social attitudes. It is very expensive to put someone in prison and should only harm themselves, not other people.

So, I can only conclude that no current methods from campaigns to jail sentences are effective. As the drug problem seem to be increasing everywhere, I think governments need to work harder to find a realistic solution.

August 2002