The Drug Update

A study published in the May issue of Addictive Behavior found that college-age viewers responded to anti-marijuana advertisements by fostering a less negative attitude towards marijuana. This has tremendous implications for the program's funding; a 2003 appropriations conference report featured the caveat, "The conferees are deeply disturbed by the lack of evidence that the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign has had any appreciable impact on youth drug use," and a continued lack of evidence will lead "the Committee (to) be compelled to reevaluate the use of taxpayer money" in funding the campaign.