UNODC - Acerca de la prevención basada en información sobre riesgos

Tomado del programa Youth Initiative, de United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).


Myth 5 ‘Information on the dangers of drugs prevents drug use’  (Extractos)

http://www.unodc.org/documents/drug-prevention-and-treatment/Youth%20Initiative/Myth_5_Media_and_information_Final.pdf 

“(...) more than just spreading information on the negative consequences of drug use is needed for preventing drug use. In fact, spreading emotion provoking messages on dangers of drugs can even lead to opposite outcomes, as it can increase curiosity, experimentation with drug use, or even increase stigmatization of those already using drugs, so such campaigns need to be planned and implemented with great care. When done correctly, information based campaigns bear great potential in supporting the healthy lifestyles of youth. (...)

Spreading information on negative consequences is not enough for preventing drug use. Having information on the consequences of certain behaviors is generally not enough to help to actually change those behaviors. 

For changing our behaviors we need also other help, such as skills, favorable environment, positive norms, intentions and attitudes, and that is why good prevention interventions target the multiple resilience and vulnerability factors beyond awareness, and for example support the learning of various life-skills, or parenting-skills, or aim at providing favorable and supporting environment e.g. via promoting access to good quality education or changing the norms and policies in schools.

Receiving specific information on drugs before the age of initiation, when young persons or children are not really aware of those drugs, might in reality just increase curiosity. Similarly, using ‘scare’ tactics and disseminating information on the dangers of drugs with graphic images or other material provoking emotions, might just feel unconvincing for those already encountering substance use in their lives, as especially the short term effects are often not so radical as portrayed, and might alienate the receivers from any further health promotion activities. Among those already using substances such messages might provoke difficult emotions and feelings of exclusion, especially if substance use is portrayed as ‘individual choice’ or even as sign of moral or ethical failing. And among those who have no experiences on substance use, such messages might increase negative attitudes towards substance users. Thus providing information on the negative consequences of drug use, especially when provoking strong emotions and using so called scare-tactics, is not effective alone, and raises often also important ethical considerations as well. 

Below are some ideas on how to make your information campaigns really work:

How to use media campaigns for preventing drug use?  

• Aim at changing cultural norms about substance abuse and its ‘normality’, and/or educating about the short term consequences of substance abuse in a neutral manner, and/or suggesting practical strategies to resist substance abuse, and/or supporting self-efficacy relating to not abusing substances;  
• Design messages for a specific target group, and try to achieving adequate exposure over time;  
• Consider targeting parents, as this appears to have an independent effect also on the children;  
• If you target those already experimenting with substances, include information on where to seek help (if good quality counselling, treatment, or rehabilitation services or cessation support is available in your community).”