The overall aim of the Drug Aware Amphetamines Prevention Program is to prevent and/or delay the uptake of amphetamine use and increase access to support services at an early stage by increasing awareness and knowledge of the potential health, social and legal consequences of amphetamine use and increasing the salience of the potential risks associated with amphetamine use.
The Drug Aware Amphetamines Prevention Campaign is a joint initiative of the Drug and Alcohol Office and the Western Australian Network of Alcohol and Other Drug Agencies (WANADA).
1. Target group/s
The Drug Aware Amphetamines Prevention Campaign targets the following groups:
- 14- to 17-year-old people at risk of amphetamine use
- 12- to 24-year-olds who are trialing or occasionally using amphetamines
- regular users of amphetamines
- family and friends of young people aged 14 to 24-years of age at risk of amphetamine-related harm
- people attending night venues and/or entertainment events.
The primary target group for this campaign is young people aged 15 to 17-years-of-age as this is a key transition time when young people are highly influenced by their environments and social networks, and before initial use which is important given the significance of the first use in encouraging further use of amphetamines.
The mean age of initiation of amphetamines in Western Australia is 21.05 years. Research from the focus groups found that young people’s attitudes to drugs shift rapidly as they move through adolescence, and their social environments and frameworks change. The results found that habitual users are far more defensive of their behaviours, less accepting of the risks of amphetamines, and more doubtful of the morality of a communications campaign aiming to prevent usage then non-users or experimenters. The research also found that at risk non-users and experimenters appear to be predisposed to positive behavioural change and therefore this campaign will specifically target 15 to 17-year-old people who are at risk of amphetamine use.
It is envisaged that the campaign messages will also have a flow on effect onto young people aged 12 to 24-year-olds, who are at risk of amphetamine use, as well as occasional users of that broader age target.
2. Objectives
The campaign has two main objectives. Firstly, to prevent and delay use and reduce the harms associated with amphetamine use amongst young people. This is aimed to be achieved by increasing awareness and knowledge of the potential health, social and legal consequences of amphetamine use and increasing the salience of the potential risks associated with amphetamine use.
Secondly, the campaign aims to increase awareness of the available sources of information and assistance relating to amphetamines and other drugs.
3. Theme
The new 2011/12 Drug Aware Amphetamine Prevention Campaign aims to build on the ‘Things Get Ugly on Ice’ campaign that has been successfully running over the past four years. The new ‘Amphetamines turn you into something you can’t see for yourself’ Campaign will focus on a series of real life stories that demonstrate how someone using amphetamines can lose control of their lives without realising it. The campaign also engages friends and family to seek help or treatment for someone who uses amphetamines.
The campaign takes a persuasive approach with key messages being engaging and motivating, reinforcing responsible informed attitudes about amphetamines and creating a social dialogue.
4. Strategies
The campaign is a multi-media campaign, and will predominately feature:
- a new amphetamine campaign website interface on the Drug Aware website with youth orientated functionality;
- radio advertising across metropolitan stations and various regional radio stations;
- advertising in youth street press and festival guides;
- internet advertising; and
- exploration of youth media such as You Tube, Twitter and Facebook.
Campaign materials have been developed with the assistance from the following experts, further adding credibility to the campaign messages:
- Dr Dominic Reynolds, Manager, Illicit Drugs Division, ChemCentre;
- Professor Steve Allsop, Director, National Drug Research Institute, Curtin University;
- Professor Daniel Fatovich, Professor of Emergency Medicine, University of Western Australia and Royal Perth Hospital; and
- Dr Francis Loutsky, Director, Emergency Department, Rockingham General Hospital and Senior Registrar, Intensive Care Unit, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital.
5. Campaign Materials
Press Advertisements (click image to enlarge)
Radio Advertisements
'Fool'
'Screaming'
Nova Vox Pops 1
Nova Vox Pops 2
Nova Vox Pops 3
Expert Videos
Watch the videos from the experts.
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